Diligently doubtful
by LooneyLovegood26
Summary: The once enemy ended up becoming a sometimes confidant and full time second in command. While living under siege, two transgenics test their equilibrium on the line that separates their friendship and something more.
1. Chapter 1

Hey, everyone!

This started as a crazy idea born from a boring afternoon and my accumulator abilities. There I was, doing some sorting through old stuff when I came across with some CD's, one of them: No Doubt's, Tragic Kingdom (if you haven't heard it and you're into the 90's, you should give it a try). Naturally, my finding was the kick start for a whole week of listening their awesome songs and curiously enough, I was going through a DA fics reading phase. My guilty pleasures collided somewhere in my head and suddenly, every song reminded me to Max and Alec.

I began writing but it didn't feel 'right'. My birth language is spanish so I started with that. 'Duh!' you'd think and so did I, but for some strange reason, writing a DA fic in spanish felt awful and some characters like OC are nearly impossible to translate. So I switched to english.

A few months later, here we are, my first DA and english fiction and I, begging for mercy. Any typos or wild grammar you may encounter are completely my fault, for I have no beta but my online bilingual dictionary. Feel free to tell me if you come across with those, I'm in for reviews all the way!

Disclaimer: I do not own Dark Angel nor any of the No Doubt lyrics. I just borrowed them for a little fun and the personal challenge of writing in english. And I'm for sure not making any money out of this.

Rating: T-ish. Some chapters may belong to an M, but I'm not so sure yet. I'll change if it comes to that.

Just in case my shipping wasn't clear, this is a M/A story and even though I don't consider myself a Logan hater, I do believe he was an awesome manipulator, so that may appear in some chapters ahead.

I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did while writing it :)

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><p><strong>Bathwater<strong>

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><p><em>You and your museum of lovers<br>_

_The precious collection you've housed in your covers_

_My simpleness threatened by my own admission _

_Bathwater – No Doubt_

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><p>Just another typical day in Command. Every inch of her desk was crowded with papers. She sighed deeply while she tried to put them in order, failing once again. An entire forest must have died to produce such amount of celulose.<p>

The sounds of people coming and going outside her office filled her ears, humming like working bees, trying to compel with whatever they had to do. Shutting the door wouldn't solve anything, wouldn't even muffle the noise. Privacy didn't exist in TC —superhuman hearing and all that jazz—, so there was no point in pretending. Besides, the well aged wood and the rusty hinges weren't responsible for any of the problems of the transgenic community nor the incredibly large amount of people who came bearing those problems. No need to submit the door to all that extra work, right?

Feeling exhausted, she sat on the chair behind her desk, wiggling restlessly to that particular sharp edge which always poked her ass. Alec had found it in a dumpster just as pretty much all of the furniture adorning HQ, and it's not like she could go ahead and buy a new chair.

She remembered that particular afternoon, a couple of days after the siege started, when Alec had snatched her arm without previous notice. She'd shouted, demanding him to let her go, but all she got in response was his trademark grin and a mischievous glint in his eyes. Scowling at his rudeness, she let herself be dragged upstairs to a medium size room with some office equipment in it. She was about to ask _who_ and _how_ when she turned to face Alec and saw the almost boyish smile playing on his lips. She couldn't help but to smile back. It was a very rare view, a real smile from him and maybe, just maybe that was the reason why she kept her mouth shut about the uncomfortable chair.

Now, months later and after last night difference of opinions —it wasn't an attempt to engage warfare actions, no matter what Mole said— she couldn't avoid thinking that her SIC had managed to annoy her even when he wasn't present at the moment.

_Ass_, she thought while her mind got filled with the remembrance of his cheeky grin and carefree attitude.

Last night, all she'd wanted was to relax a bit. The week had been long and full of forever-lasting phone calls with politicians, half-assed and mind-narrowed politicians. Most of them petty, oversized ego owners. Yeah, the worst kind. Were some rations and med supplies too much to ask? They seemed to think so. So on with the raids it was if they wanted to stay alive.

On top of that, the full moon had apparently encouraged four of the pregnant X5's to give birth on wednesday night. And because her life as CO was getting too easy and boring, on thursday afternoon, Lucy and Marley went into heat in the middle of the gym.

Awesome, really.

She was still sporting some of the bruises she'd got trying to separate a couple of guys who were fighting for dominance over the females.

Naturally, when friday night came along and despite her obligation to returning to HQ on saturday morning, she went to The Hole, their best attempt as a nation to a bar.

Just a beer and some time off, maybe even a bit of chat with Joshua and checking he was doing fine. Then early to bed. Yes, she had her badass shark DNA, but hell, she needed sleep at least one night out of four.

The Hole was, as usual, quite crowded. After all, there wasn't that much of a choice. She sat at the counter and asked for that long expected beer, conveniently forgetting Alec's contraband lines. As she was about to take the first sip, someone tapped her shoulder. Sighing, Max turned around.

Charlie was staring at her. Hard.

The voluptuous X5 was well known between the male population. She carried pure determined blue eyes and red long wavy hair. Everybody were more or less aware of her strong personality and her rank approaching at the top of the alpha females. It was no secret that she could have practically any male she wanted. The subject wasn't at all of Max's interest, but that was about to change.

"Charlie, what can I do for you?" she asked sarcastically, not liking a bit the way the redhead was eyeing her.

"I'd like to have a word with you," Charlie answered, crossing her arms under her prominent breasts. Max forced herself to remain impassive. "I want to know why you haven't claimed Alec."

Okay, so small talk was out of the table. Max concealed her shock at the weird —not to mention, unnerving— question and instead, raised an eyebrow pretending nonchalance. She could feel she was cruising on dangerous waters here and she couldn't let something like this get in the way with her position as leader.

"Let's pretend for a moment that the subject's any of your concern," Max started, and when the other woman tried to interrupt, she raised a hand imposing herself. "What is it to you if I claim Alec or not?"

A while back, Alec had explained her how things worked between the X5's. Most of them had feline DNA, which made them prompt to mate, to find that other person who would fill their lives and all of that sappy stuff. He had also given her the cues of the ranks they were on, how both of them were alphas, which Max thought was a whole load of crap. She had never been an alpha, at least not with her original unit, her _family_. She didn't even know what it meant.

At the face of her desbelief, Alec had shrugged and said he was just telling her what his instincts told him. He had seemed really serious about it, but Max couldn't help think she didn't have time for such nonsense.

Now however, an ice-cold blue stare pierced straight through her and she promptly remembered that mating _did_ matter to most of the transgenics. Those eyes were studying her, _daring her_. The realisation that this woman was ready to fight her over Alec hit her. Clearly, Charlie wasn't joking.

"Well, when we got to TC, you two were dating and even though the Ordinary is always around, I haven't seen Alec with other women," the redhead explained in full petulant mode, not backing out a single inch.

Max gritted her teeth at the mention of Logan. No matter what she did to rectify the fact that he had a name, the denomination "Ordinary" stuck trough out the inhabitants of TC. Anyway, it was better that being called _ape_ or _monkey_ by Mole. There was no lost love between Logan and the scaly man.

"Charlie, Alec is my friend and SIC, but no more," Max said, surprising herself by the _friend_ title she had given him. Sure, he was good at what he did, always backing her with her decisions. True, they spend a lot of time together, some of it even out of Command, but that was pretty much it. Did that make them friends? "We sort of dated for thirty seconds and that was almost a year ago."

That was kind of a lie, they had never dated, just pretended to date for the sake of keeping Logan away and safe. But when the siege began and her life went completely FUBAR, she had to put things on the level with Logan. She told him about her charade with Alec and explained her reasons. As the months went on and her relationship with the cyber journalist rapidly deteriorated, she was forced to make a decision: she couldn't keep up with their 'hot-cold' sort of relationship. She just didn't have the time nor the energy to do so. Anyway, that was water from another river.

She had bigger issues right now, _soap opera issues_. Max resisted the urge to snort and turned her attention back to the girl standing in front of her.

Relief passed trough Max's mind and Charlie's face as she nodded. Both women knew what a mating war meant. Nothing pretty, that's for sure.

"Thank you for coming clean to me. With all the rumours running around, I didn't know what to think."

Max's eyes narrowed.

"What rumours?"

Dread cursed trough her. What was coming weren't good news and she could almost smell it.

"It's just that there's been a lot a talking lately about you two..." Charlie looked at Max and could see just fine how the anger was building up under the surface of their fearless leader, so she took a tactical retrieval. After all, she already had her answer.

Max was left alone —finally— and concentrated on her beer, trying to figure out if it was more or less watery than the ones she used to drink at Crash. Ah... The good old days, when she was nobody but a low life bike messenger and she had very few responsibilities.

That's why she didn't hear the whispers around her, but she felt the stares at her back alright. Probably Charlie'd let slip bits of their conversation and the rumour mill had started operating again.

After her third bottle, Max succeeded at calming herself enough but she couldn't help wonder where the hell did those ideas of Alec and her being an item had come from. How long had this been going on? It wasn't a shock she didn't know about it. Even though she had many friends among the transgenics, she wasn't a people person all the way. But Alec was. So he must have known. _That bastard._

"Maxie, really humane of you to join the populace."

Speaking of the devil...

Max turned to face him and tried hard not to erase that ridiculous grin out of his face with a punch. Instead, she had to settle for sending a deadly glare and perhaps give him the chance to explain himself.

Alec didn't seem to notice he was seconds away of being murdered if he didn't choose his words carefully.

"Aw, c'mon Maxie, what's with the grumpy face?"

He took a seat at her right as he asked the bartender, a transhuman with several pairs of arms, for a scotch. A playfull snort of laugh scaped him when he noticed the way she was looking at him and that skyrocketed her wrath.

"Don't call me Maxie," she grunted trough clenched teeth.

"Please, enlight me _Maxie_, what exactly got your panties into a knot?" Alec grinned even wider, if that was possible, pronouncing her name with special care; letting her know that yes, he'd heard her, but he'd decided to ignore it.

Max forced herself to calm down, he was not getting the best of her. _Not again_. She wouldn't play his game this time.

"Maybe you can help me, Pretty Boy. I've heard some... _interesting_ rumours."

"Have you? I didn't know you were so into the gossip. Care to share?"

Alec played with his glass, avoiding her stare and that gave her the cue she was going by the right track.

"Apparently, the entire city believes you and me are together," she said. Proud, she congratulated herself for not letting any of the embarrassment she felt crept into her voice. She kept staring at him, waiting for a reaction, _something_. Hopefully, outrageus desbelief, but possibly he would only laugh about it, brushing it off.

Instead, nothing. Absolutely nothing came from him and she could see the fake indiference. _What the..._

"Do you know anything about that?" she pushed. "Alec?"

"Maybe..."

All this misterious crap was really getting to her. She could feel the anger rising again, couldn't help it. Max grasped his shoulder and made him look at her. His face was still concealed, but his eyes... God, there was so much emotion whirling inside those eyes that she forgot about her hand touching him. There was something tempestuous lying within the hazel green and Max could not put a finger on it.

"I kind of started the rumour," he said all over sudden, like there was nothing wrong with that.

"What?" Max gasped. "Why?!"

"Remember when Rob's unit came along, about two months ago?" he asked pulling away from her, as if he couldn't stand the sight of her brown gaze. She just nodded. "Most of the females were mated but Liz, the SIC, wasn't. So I asked her out. I didn't know for sure if there were other females interested in me too, I didn't pay attention. Turns out there were..."

_Yeah, right_, she thought sarcastically. Women practically begged for landing on his radar and he very damn well knew it.

"Yeah, I kind of got that about twenty minutes ago when Charlie came on to me demanding to know why I haven't claimed you yet," her voice sounded dangerous while she sent her hands to her hips to emphasize her point.

"No way..." It wasn't he didn't believed her, he did; but the thought slipped away out loud.

She threw him a severe look and he rectified. "I'm sorry, Max. I didn't think it would go this far. I said we were going out to avoid the fight between them."

"Bullshit, Alec. You just took the easy way out."

The feeling of being no more than his cover story formed a lump down her throat, jeopardizing the steadiness of her voice and she barely managed to control it. He'd used her as an excuse and a few minutes back she'd called him her friend... She had made peace with Alec's antics and motions through life —mostly— and she trusted him more than she ever considered possible. Then, something like this came up... Was she ever going to learn?

"You know what would've happened..."

"Yes, one of them would've won and then claimed you. But you also had a choice. If you didn't want neither of them, you could have said 'no'. It's not an obligation to mate with the winner. So do me a favour and spare me the crap, Alec. You just didn't want to be the bad guy."

As she finished her rant, she noticed how much her heart rate had speeded up, something she hadn't felt in a really long time, the rush caused by the possibility of a fight. She couldn't decide if it was good or bad.

"So what if I didn't?" Alec dared. But despite his cocky response, he was getting restless in his seat, which was uncommon in him. His stance was always cool and controlled, but not tonight, not with this subject. Something inside Max roared in pleasure when she realized she was unnerving him.

"So what?! I got to be the bitch of the tale, that's what! You could at least told me about it!"

That was it, her voice rose and he lost the last of his grip as well. He stood up and exited the place in haste, not looking back.

Max followed, catching up with him as he was crossing the street. She grabbed his arm and pulled, forcing him to look at her.

His face was hard. The stony expression he wore made Max make a double take. She waited a few moments, not knowing what to do until he found his voice.

"That's rich, Max, coming from you... Remind me again how it was I learnt about our _relationship," _he said in a low tone, though it screamed warning.

"That was completely different and you know it. Besides, this has nothing to do with Logan and me. It's about you, tomcatting your way trough life! Hell, I don't even know why I'm suprised. It's not like it's a new behaviour in you. All you care about is getting in the pants of a girl and once it's done, you move on to the next one. Typical."

And with that, she left. A shy voice in her head told her she hadn't been quite fair with Alec, but she pushed the thought away.

She got home burning in anger and disappointment, scolding herself for being such a stupid, believing he could change, that all of this long months had meant something and somehow they were reaching some level of friendship.

Of course, she didn't sleep at all.

So, a few hours later and after a quick shower, Max headed to Command to fulfill her duties, hoping she could get distracted in her work.

That had lead her here, to this moment; to her sitting in that damned chair, feeling uneasy with pretty much every aspect of her life and not being able to stop thinking how Alec could easily fill a complete building of TC with his lovers.

Sure, the man was attractive. Every single X5 was. Yeah, he could seduce women by sweet talking them. Again, nothing special. He kind of had this anti-hero aura going on, maybe that was what made him so... inviting. Or maybe it was the alpha in him, she thought.

_Nevermind_, she was wasting precious time in things that would take her nowhere and sure as hell, were none of her business.

Max shook her head as she lifted from her seat, wanting badly to be able to rest. She exited the office and HQ to get a cup of coffee from the Mess Hall. It wasn't very good but at least it had caffeine and it'll keep her going until tonight. Half way down her cup, her cell phone rang loudly in the almost empty place. She took it out from her pocket, eyeing the display.

Great.

Alec.

She considered not answering, but then she thought something might have happened concerning TC. Taking a deep breath, she pressed a button.

"What?"

"_Well, good morning to you to, Max. God, you're such a b—"_

"Is there a reason why you called or just felt like insulting me?" she interrupted.

"_You didn't let me finish, I was going to say 'beautiful person'."_

She could _sense_ that damned smirk on the other side of the phone. _Jerk_.

"Whatever. You have ten seconds to tell me whatever it is you want."

She wasn't kidding. He was among her least favourite persons on this Earth right now.

"_Okay, okay. A pipe broke down on Oak Street, almost at the Fifth. It's a main one, so there's water everywhere. Already sent two teams to take care of it. Thought you might wanna know."_

"I'm on my way."

"_No need, I—"_

She didn't catch the rest of the phrase because she cut off the call. She drank the rest of that tinted water that the people in charge of the Mess wanted make people believe it was coffee and run for it.

She was ten blocks away from the site, so she blurred.

Alec didn't lie. There was water all over the place and what seemed to be a geiser rising from the middle of the street. The water was freezing, something to be expected at the end of december and somehow, it helped her to take de edge off, even taking to account Alec's presence there.

A couple of hours later and a near hypothermia experience, a quarter of their city didn't have water, but they had isolated the troublesome section of the pipe. In two or three days it would be a problem from the past.

_Like your former breeding partner, only he's not so in the past._

_Alec is not my mess to fix_, she rectified herself. _He's a grown man. He could do whatever he damned well like, or whoever for that matter_. She did _not_ care at all. She didn't.

Max drag herself out of Command at the end of her shift, silently thanking all higher powers because she didn't have to come back until monday morning, unless of course, all hell broke loose. Mole said his goodbyes with a grunt, as usual.

She got home and took a deserved hot shower, lingering under the spray until her toes properly wrinkled. The moment of solitude only made her mind race toward certain transgenic with hazel eyes, the one she had to thank for the water heater. Green entwined with flashes of gold. Eyes which slightly changed colour according the mood of their owner. How did she know such thing scaped her grasp.

At first, all she saw when looking at them was the shadow of her brother, Ben. But that'd been a long time ago. Ben and Alec were nothing alike. Ben had been kind and sweet —at least, during his childhood—, always taking care of her no matter what. When she got the shakes, Ben was there telling her stories to calm her down. When her shark DNA took hold, he would stay awake with her, even when he much needed the sleep.

Alec was all about witty remarks, sarcasm and full time tease. It often got to the point of annoyance with him, as if irritating her was his goal in life, and he was quite good at it. But then again, he always had her back. Of all of those Eyes Only missions he'd tagged along, how many would have gone south if he hadn't been there, with her? Despite her anger and killer instincts towards him, she couldn't let pass by the only thing Alec probably shared with his twin: he always took care of her.

Alec most likely thought she didn't notice it —and for a while, she hadn't—, but she knew what were his reasons for riling her up all the time. It was his way to cheer her up. For all his screw ups, he did know how to make her laugh.

That voice in her head which spoke about unfairness rose again and this time, she had to admit it. Alec was more than just a womanizer.

She'd almost finished dressing and was still wandering in thought when she heard a knocking on her front door.

As Alec materialized at her doorstep, she suddenly remembered why she was so mad at him.

_He made you look like a total heartless bitch in front of everybody._ Not that it was much far from the truth, but still.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, feeling exhausted and emotionally uncapable of anything. After that big fiasco with Logan and the virus, she had shutted down. Pure defence mechanisms combined with a ton of work to do kept her shielded, safe. Logan'd told her he wouldn't give up on a cure, but being honest, she wasn't sure she cared anymore. She wasn't sure if she could _feel_.

"Can I come in?"

Alec was soaked from head to toes just like she had been half an hour ago and by the same reasons. His face was bland, but then again his eyes were another story. Just as last night, masses of emotions flew trough them and it was all too much for her new discovered incompetence to manage her own feelings, not to mention other's. She was just _too_ tired.

Max tore her gaze away as well as her body, letting him pass. She shut the door and without thinking about it, she hugged herself.

Alec noticed it. She had been doing that a lot lately and he didn't particularly enjoy it when it was him she was protecting from.

"There's still some hot water. Go and take a shower. That's why you're here, right?" she said pointing her head at his backpack. She sounded bitter and exhausted.

"No... Well, yes," he said, absently scratching his barcode. "There's no water at home, but that's not the only reason I'm here. I wanna talk to you."

That was another thing that fascinated Max about him: he could change moods in less than a second. In a blink of an eye, Peter Pan was gone leaving behind a serious young man.

"I talked to the girls, you know, Charlie and Liz. I told them the truth and I think they're okay with it. Although they did punch me before they left."

Max saw the red spot around his right eye. It was starting to bruise. A small laugh scaped her mouth as she shook her head and searched trough the freezer for some ice. She wrapped it up in a cloth and gently pressed it on the top of his cheekbone.

He winced a bit and she retreated her hand.

"It's okay. It doesn't hurt much," he said, taking her hand in his and back to his face.

"I'm still mad at you," she announced, locking her eyes on his for the first time since he had entered the room.

"I know."

The moment felt charged, the air in the room suddenly got thick as they held each other's gaze. After what seem to be ages, she lowered her hand and he let go.

Max left the ice pack on the kitchen counter and snuggled on the couch under a blanket. They fell back into their easy routine of banter and sarcasm until Alec went to take that shower.

She chuckled when she heard him half hum, half sing a song.

So what if women threw themselves to his feet? Sure, he could have a shred of decency and clean after himself a bit more carefully. Still, Max knew most of those girls didn't mean that much to him. Most of them didn't know anything about Alec, he always kept them at arms length. Suddenly, she felt privileged. There was still times when Alec shut himself up but it wasn't that often. Maybe she didn't really know him, but she knew him better than a lot of people.

So yeah, that's why she thought of him as her friend. They had found a way to sneak up in each other's lives.

"Well Maxie, I gotta say looking at your bathtub I can see the appeal of those long bubble baths of yours. Will you let me try it sometime?"

Alec sounded hopeful and she hid the smile that wanted to surface.

"Maybe, if you behave."

"I'll be a good boy. Just wait and see..."

He grinned widely, his eyes loaded with intention. He would not be Alec without that sexual innuendo always creeping out of him.

Max rolled her eyes thinking he was a lost cause for that matter.

They shared a couple of chicken sandwiches sitting on her ratty couch, talking about trivial stuff.

And then, when Alec woke up next morning with Max's head on his shoulder, he couldn't help feel warm in a way that seemed new to him. That couch was a nightmare to sleep on, as his neck reminded him; but it was worth it.

He didn't waste time trying to figure out what it meant. He just knew Max was a big part of his life and that was enough, at least, for now.


	2. Chapter 2

Hey everyone! Thanks again to those of you who've reviewed. It means a lot to me :)

Well, this chapter turned out to be a bit longer, my muse's wild side makes stuff like this happen. Is it a dread to read something this long? For me, as a reader, it's not. Quite the opposite actually, but the world would be a boring place if everybody were the same.

Hope you'll enjoy it!

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><p><strong>Just a girl<strong>

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><p><em>The moment that I step outside<br>So many reasons  
>For me to run and hide<br>I can't do the little things I hold so dear  
>'Cause it's all those little things<br>That I fear  
><em>

_Just a girl – No Doubt_

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><p>"Hey, Dix. You got that list you told me about yesterday? I'll take a look at it."<p>

Max entered Command a few minutes after lunch. She had been all morning in a meeting with a representative of the City Councilmen in a prearranged location just outside the fence. She would have prefered first hand torture before that, but hey, someone had to do it. The negotiations with the Government were moving forward even though at glatial pace. She retuned to TC with her hopes up for a quiet afternoon and she was pleasurably surprised when she found it.

"Alec already took care of it, Max," the transhuman answered without taking his eyes away from the screen.

"How's going with the records? Need a hand?" she offered.

About a week ago, they had raided an old warehouse near the docks. While tracking a series of mysterious convoys in the area, Logan had found out —although Alec claimed that the older man had just stumbled with the info— that the leasing contract of the place was under the name of __Environmental Clean___-Up and Disposal_. Of course, that ringed all sorts of bells and a recon team was sent. After properly check every dark corner and hiding spot, the teams in charge of the search and retrieval turned the place upside down. They came across with enormous amounts of data about the Project Manticore. DNA sequencing of the X's series, the infamous breeding program, future developments that never came to be, you name it.

Working swiftly as a well oiled machine, they loaded boxes and boxes full of papers into the vans and transported them back to TC. They didn't know who had put that information there to begin with, but it wasn't safe to let it lingering around for Familiars to take hold of it. Before they left, Max torched the place for good measure.

Now, they faced the everlasting task of going through all of it. Dix was doing most of the job by loading the data into their servers, but still, some help was never bad.

"Sure thing, Max. That box over there hasn't been touched yet. Knock yourself out," he said smiling almost apologetically.

Max grabbed the box, eyeing the thing as if it could bit her. Paperwork wasn't her favourite thing but at least she could make herself useful and pretend she had not seen Logan's missed calls. Things between them were weird —shocker, right?—, but in a different way. She couldn't quite put a finger on how or why, yet some of that haunting weight in the pit of her stomach she used to feel had faded away. The guilt and uneasiness were still there though. So, despite them and for her own astonishment, when Logan came a couple of days ago asking for help for an Eyes Only assignment, she didn't hesitate and said no. Consequently, the man almost had a fit in the middle of HQ.

She noticed Alec's gaze, his expression giving nothing away, at least until he let out a poorly disguised chuckle when he saw Logan's reaction. She found it unusually reassuring. What did cause her certain irritation was Logan's demeanor. He instantly turned his tone of voice into a condescenting one, spilling big words about the meaning of the job and how important it was to get the intel. Max had kept her ground, not giving in. It felt like... freedom. After that she had been avoiding him like the plague because she knew he would nag her with the subject again.

Logan was a good man pursuing a just cause, but she had a lot in her plate right now and TC's welfare was her priority. It might be a selfish way of thinking, but if they didn't take care of their own, no one would do it for them.

She sighed, trying to concentrate in the papers in front of her.

Max sprawled some folders on the table and began to shuffle through them. They were mostly about the bioengeneering of the X8's, how much and which kind of animal DNA they had, some issues with a mutated enzyme that had been corrected... Boring stuff. Poor Dix, he would have to type it down anyway. You never knew what could come on handy in the future and all hard copy was going to be destroyed.

She moved on to another box, X7's this time. Instead of boring, those were mind numbing. She was starting to get serious concentration problems when Dalton surged from the doors, disturbing the overly quiet enviroment.

"Hey, Max!"

She looked up, analyzing the kid's expression. He didn't look worried or concerned although you could tell he was carrying orders.

"Alec says he needs you at the East entrance."

And just like that, the X6 dissapeared. Max exchanged a look with Dix, tacitly promising not to abandon him with such a dread work and went behind the kid's steps.

She couldn't help wonder what was the problem now, because let's face it, there was always a problem when she was sent for. She frowned, hoping it wasn't something really bad, like trapped transgenics in White's claws, or worse... No, she was not going down that way. Long ago, days after the siege began, she'd tried to learn how to detach. Those days had been incredibly challenging in many ways and they had lost a lot of their own in hate mobs. She suddenly felt the urge to run and soon, she was blurring to her destination.

Max'd pictured at least a dozen scenarios by the time she reached the spot, but she certainly did not expect this view. It was too surreal to be true... It just couldn't be, but yet, there it was in front of her eyes.

Two men and three women, one of them carrying a child, stood in front of her. And was that a german shepherd? She just had to frown.

She recognized Syl, Krit and Jace instantly. The other woman had bright emerald green eyes and seriously long dark blonde hair. A playful smile lit up her face. The man was hugging her, he was tall and with broad shoulders, but his face was full of kindness, especially those big blue eyes. His light brown hair was mussed and it made him look even more like a overly grown kid. The dog obviously belonged to him.

She knew. Even after a decade, she knew.

"Jondy? Zane? Oh, God!"

Max threw herself over her siblings, hugging them with all she had. They responded in kind, not helding an inch back.

"I've missed you so much, Max! And _please_, stop scaring the shit out of me! First, you fall through the ice and for ten years I thought we'd lost you. Then Zack tells me you're alive and kickin' and a month later, Syl calls me with the news of the mission going south... Sis, _so_ not a good hobbie!"

This was exactly as she remembered Jondy, full of energy, exclamations all around and hand gestures to go with.

"Did she packed this kind of attitude the whole trip?" Max asked Zane and he laughed, nodding.

"It's really good to see you, Max," he said, posting a sweet kiss over her head. Zane'd always been protective of her, but not in the same way Zack had. He was the lighthearted one of the lot, as if problems never really got to him; and just like in her memories of him, he could still say so much more with a smile than with a thousand words. She hugged him tightly again.

An insistent index finger tapped her shoulder, making her turn around.

"No love for your test tube twin? C'mere, Maxie!" Krit said, opening his arms to her. He looked a bit taller and more built since the last time she'd seen him.

"You're getting more and more handsome, are you?" Max joked.

"It's in the genes, hun. You know it."

Max laughed, embracing the man she shared so many features with.

"The last thing he needs is an ego boost. I'll never hear the end of it if you keep at it." Syl sneaked in between the two of them to get her share of the hug. The blonde's hair was longer, but not as much as Jondy's.

Max slowly disentangled herself from the collective hug and faced Jace. She seemed the same at first sight, but in the small details Max saw how much she'd changed. Her features were softer, the stiffness of the soldier being left behind. When she smiled, it reached her eyes. She looked like a mother, for lack of a better adjetive, warm, loving and caring.

"Is that who I think he is?" Max said, looking at the bundle wrapped in a baby blue blanket Jace held in her arms.

She gave Max a small smile and looked at her son.

"His name is Max, of course," Jace said as a matter of factly, rocking him softly.

Max's heart filled with pride. Jace had kept her promise. A child named after her... It was amazing, just as having her brothers and sisters here, with her.

Alec watched the scene play out as if it was part of one of those touchy-feely movies he used to catch on the TV, but there was no cliché in this. It was sweet and tender, yet powerful. He could feel the bonds between the persons in front of him, see them in the way they exchanged looks and words. However, the most outstanding of them was Max. The way her face had changed when she saw her siblings spoke volumes. It was as if she had been hiding and suddenly felt safe enough to come out. Alec couldn't help to smile. That girl deserved all the happiness she could get. He was begining to understand just how much had Max sacrificed even being outside.

He felt kind of jealous. He sometimes longed for that sense of belonging. He craved for that look on Max's and her sibling's faces, that certainty of knowing there's someone you can call _home_.

He started to retreat, feeling out of place. He wasn't part of Max's family. The thought crossed his mind, damaging something inside.

"Alec?"

Max's voice made him stop and turn around. She was eyeing him as if she didn't understand what was he doing.

"Where're you going?"

Ah, she needed him to do some job. Of course, why else would she ask for his attention?

"I'm gonna keep an eye to Mole at Command. Make sure he has his scales in place and killer instincts at bay."

Alec gave her his trademark smirk, but couldn't shake that feeling of loneliness.

It was absurd. He had always been a loner. He was brought up to work that way and never, until now at least, had a problem with that. Alone was easy. You're responsible for yourself and no one else. No attachments equals to no confussion nor mixed emotions; and he knew first hand how messed up feelings could get, how skrewed things could end up when you got yourself involved.

So, alone was just peachy for him. What had changed?

With a look to the woman in front of him, he understood. Her. Who else? Her, who managed to pull heists despite her rightfulness and rock-engraved ethics. Fiery when it came to defend her own but submissive when Logan appeared in the scene. Max was a walking contradiction and in the best of cases, she confused him.

If there was a valid reason for him staying in Seattle all those months ago, it was her.

"Okay, I'll be there in an hour or so. Call me if something comes up."

Well, she didn't ask for anything. She had asked because... she wanted to know? _That's new_, he thought as he walked away.

He sauntered into Max's office because his had become a temporary storage room for those damned papers they had retrieved from the warehouse. Command was littered with boxes, but calm. Dix waved him and resumed the typing.

He sat on her chair, finding it awfully uncomfortable. How could she sit on that thing for hours? _Women_, he thought. No point in trying to understand them.

He picked a box and leisurely walked to the old couch. It was stiff here and there, but it was an improvement considering the alternative.

He was cought up with some reading on the X5's tryptophan deficiencies when Max returned to HQ. He heard her talking to Mole about some building. Alec didn't think she would be back so soon, but when it came to work her word was solid as steel. She didn't seem to notice he was almost lying on her couch when she came in carrying a pile of boxes.

"Need any help with that?" he asked louder than necessary, trying to startle her. It didn't work.

"Super-strength, remember?" she mocked, fully aware of his intentions. The moment she had set foot in her office she knew Alec was there. His particular scent filled the room. The smell of leather mixed with his aftershave gave away his presence.

Alec shrugged and returned to his reading.

Max set the load on the floor next to her desk and began sorting the papers that completely covered the wood surface.

The minutes rolled through and she noticed Alec's odd silence. Alec was never silent or still; he was always moving, speaking, touching, gesturing. There was no such thing as a quiet Alec. She frowned. The last time he had been this taciturn was after Rachel death. Not that she was going to admit it out loud, but she wondered if he was okay. She eyed him carefully, trying not to be too obvious. That's how she realized he wasn't reading, he hadn't passed a single page in five minutes. Not good.

_Calm down, maybe he's just doing some serious thinking._

_Yeah, right. Since when Pretty Boy does serious thinking?_

She pursed her lips. That was unfair. He did do that. Occasionally. Okay, maybe more than occasionally and he had a well trained mind for planning. He knew how to accomplish an objective, one of the reasons she had named him her SIC. Still, somehow it didn't seem he was programming their next heist or scheming a trick to avenge Mole's last joke.

She got lost in her own thoughts and he caught her staring at him. There were a few seconds of connection as they held each other's gaze.

There it was again, Max thought. That inmense amount of emotion in his eyes she couldn't catalog. There was too much to sort out in the hazel and Max doubted even he had a clue of what was going on in his head.

And just like that he blinked and it was gone. His smart-aleck remark came along, his attempt to mislead.

"Like what you see, Maxie?" he said, grinning and sitting upright on the couch, his eyes never leaving hers.

"You wish, Pretty Boy. Just trying to solve a housing problem."

She broke the eye contact to stare at the papers on her hands.

"Can I help?" he said and when she looked back she saw real interest. She was tempted to deny it, but she could use a hand.

It was her secret never-ending internal battle: to pose a strong image versus to accept help. It was a ferocious war between the different parts of her personality. Being a leader had only made it worse. She had to prove herself every day in front of the people in TC, she had to demonstrate that her qualities made her fit to the job. Yet, a good leader knows how to delegate tasks and when to consider other opinions. It was exhausting to go back and forth all the time.

She sighed and nodded.

"Okay, the thing is the repairs of the buildings on the Third are not even close of being done and we're already on full capacity. Doc and Ellie are living in the Med Bay and there's people also at the gym's lockers. I managed to score an apartment for Jondy, Zane, Jace and the baby, and thank God, they don't mind sharing. Turns out Zane's an ace with kids and Jondy is a total sucker for little Max. Oh, and let's not forget the dog."

A little laugh escaped her and he couldn't help to smile, he didn't remember the last time he'd seen Max so happy —or if he'd ever seen her like this before. Alec approached and asked for the papers she was holding. He quickly studied them coming to the same conclusions.

"So that leaves Syl and Krit with no roof on their heads... I think the only choice I've left is give them my apartment and crash here until the repairs are done," she finished, pointing at the couch without much love.

"They don't need a two-bedroom place, right?" he asked.

"Uhm, no. They're kind of together. Things between them were always different, even as kids. They ended up falling in love, I suppose." Alec listened intently while she spoke about her family and past, which was extremely rare. He'd have been curious but he knew better than to ask. "I bet Zack gave them the 'feelings complicate lives' speech when he found out."

She laughed again, but this time, a hint of sadness crept into it.

"Well, there's no need for you to leave your place, I'll move in with you and they can have my apartment," he said as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

She must have looked so shocked as she felt because he frowned. Hard.

"What?" he asked when he couldn't handle anymore her almost horror face.

"Did you just say you'll move into my apartment?" she managed to stutter after gaping for a couple of seconds.

"Yeah, why not? We're friends and you've a couch I can sleep in. We spend most of the day together anyway. It makes sense."

His expression was neutral as his voice, so she couldn't tell if there was a hidden agenda to it.

Her first thought was 'Hell, no!', but now she had to admit there was certain logic in his idea and just when she couldn't come up with a valid reason for saying 'no', he spoke again with a wicked smile.

"Unless you prefer move in with me, in which case, we'd have to share the bed 'cause I'm still in the process of scavenging a couch."

She sent him a deadly glare and he held his hands up in surrender.

"Careful, Pretty Boy. I hear you're fond of the family jewels and you know I can do some damage."

The threat seemed to hit where she meant to because he lost his grin, most likely remembering his last fight as Monty Cora.

"Okay, you'll move to my place, but there's gonna be ground rules."

"Cross my heart and hope to die, Maxie. I'll behave," he swore, gesturing with his fingers over his chest.

Max stared him for a moment, probably wondering if this was the right choice. If there was a God up there, he or she didn't like her. At all.

"I have the feeling I'm gonna regret this," she finally said shaking her head, as she rounded the desk to exit the office. He cought up with her and covered her shoulders with his arm. She glared at him but didn't shake him off.

"So Syl is your sister and your sister in-law at the same time. A bit weird, huh?" he said, stating at the facts.

"Come on, Smart Ass. I wanna be all done before dinner time." Max's pace quickened but he kept up.

A wicked grin appeared on his face.

"I knew you wanted me—"

She smacked him on the head, holding her index finger in front of his face as a warning. Then she turned and disapeared trough the door. He just sighed and followed.

* * *

><p>Zane wandered through the city, reaching Command early in the morning. The activity was low at those hours. Some transhumans were working on some fried circuits, trying to get them up and running again. He saw a big scaly man with a cigar hanging haphazardly in the corner of his mouth. A shotgun was right beside him. That would be Mole, according to Max's descriptions.<p>

As kids, they were terrified of the anomalies that lived in the basement. They didn't know how not to be afraid of them. But here, in TC, everybody seemed to get along just fine. X series and transhumans working side by side. There were even some of the Psy Ops transgenics living in the city. However, Max had warned him about Mole. She'd said he was a bit belligerent and had no filter between his head and mouth. Zane considered the possibility of his sister being a overreacter and approached the transhuman. He was mostly curious.

"Hey, man. What's with the boxes?" he asked, noticing them lying around all over the place.

Mole just grunted sipping from his coffee.

"Just a lot of data we found during a raid, we could use some help if you're up to it."

The one who answered was another transhuman. This one had a monocle and his face was scarred, but seemed much more friendly than the other one.

"You're one of Max's brothers, right? I'm Dix and that's Mole."

"Yeah, I'm Zane, nice to meet you guys."

Zane found a chair and sat. Taking the cue from Dix, he read some folders, sorting the papers in piles. It was a frustrating job. After a while he felt the urge to move.

"Is there coffee here somewhere?" he asked. It was way too early to get in a heavy reading without a good friend such as caffeine.

Dix pointed to a corner of the room. There he found a coffee pot and some cups. He tasted it. It wasn't that good, but at least it was hot.

"So, an 09'er, huh?" Mole spoke, staring at him. Dix tensed, but kept on writing.

"I suppose, if that's what you wanna call me. It doesn't make me less of a transgenic," Zane answered calmly. He knew Mole was probing him.

"You pack one?" the transhuman asked pointing at his gun, his eyes still narrow.

"Yeah, just not at all time. With the security details I saw yesterday you guys have, I guessed it wasn't necessary."

Zane remained impassive, drinking his coffee as he answered.

"So, what exactly do you carry?" Mole seemed a bit more pleased with every response. Zane suppossed he was passing the test.

"A Glock 17, Gen Four. It has a few years, but it's like new. That's my favourite. I also have a couple of Beretta's M9, you know, pretty common stuff."

Zane's coffee was almost out. Mole's eyes weren't narrow anymore.

"Welcome to TC. I would warn you about the Queen B, but you've met her before I did, so no point in doing that."

Dix chuckled and Zane shook his head smiling.

Zane was about to talk again but he was interrupted by a really loud rant approaching to HQ's doors. He looked at Mole and saw him get comfy on his chair, as preparing to see one of his favourite movies. Zane frowned. He didn't have time to ask who nor why, because he recognized his sister's voice. Max was openly shouting to another X5. Alec, he remembered. He was the one who had let them into the city.

They entered Command without a care in the world but to keep up with their argument.

"You're so gonna buy me more coffee! And not that awful thing you drink normally, no... You're gonna get _my_ coffee, the real thing, or you can say goodbye to your future as a parent! Got it?"

She dissapeared upstairs without even a glance back. Alec sighed and came close where the three transgenics were. Mole was amused, Dix's face indicated that it was nothing new and Zane was mostly confused. He didn't know his little sister could be so... fierce.

"Mornin', Princess. I trust you slept soundly," Mole said looking at Alec's red rimmed eyes.

"Mole, aren't you a charmer... Dix, any change with the perimeter status?"

"None, all's cool. Minimum number of Ordinaries protesting at the fence this fine morning."

"Good... Hey, man. Zane, isn't it? How're you?" Alec asked while he shrugged off his leather jacket.

"Yeah... What happened with Max?" Zane didn't know what to think about his sister's behaviour. In his memories, Max was a quiet and sweet girl, almost shielded from everything by being the youngest. Mole's nickname for her was starting to make sense.

"Ah, that. No worries. Apparently, I drank the last of her coffee and in her world the crime is punished with death, but she likes me too much to kill me, so she torments me all she can," he explained, grinning.

Zane wasn't any closer to understand.

"They just function like that," Mole provided, but he turned to Alec feeling suspicious. "How exactly did you end up this morning in Her Highness' house to drink her coffee?"

"Getting curious, are we? I happen to live there since yesterday. Feel free to forward my mail to that adress from now on."

"You live with my sister? Are you two together?" Zane asked, feeling a bit protective of his baby sister. Max hadn't said anything about that last night.

Mole laughed out loud and Alec sent him a 'it's-so-not-funny' look. Zane thought to hear Dix whispering 'he wish', but he wasn't sure.

"No, we're just friends," Alec said getting his cup at his side and taking a sit. He had some schematics to check. There was a possible raid in his near future.

"Well, I'll be on my merry way to the Armory. Too much of X's UST around here."

Mole took a puff of his cigar, exhalating a cloud of smoke. He picked up his shotgun and went away before Alec could bit out a sarcastic response.

Zane stopped his attempts to wrap his mind around Mole's innuendos and concentrated in the papers he was supposed to read. He chatted a bit with Alec, finding he was not only Ben's twin but also, a fairly decent guy. Alec showed him the maps he was going trough, explaining they expected to get their hands on the contents of a full warehouse, and promised he would let him know if they decided to do it.

When lunchtime was getting near, Dix's constant typing stopped and he muttered something.

"What?" Alec asked.

"Incoming call. It's the Ordinary."

"Awesome, just what we needed to cheer Max up," he sighed. "Accept it."

Alec stood up, coming close to the screen, putting his best poker face. Dix let him take his place on the chair, sitting next to Zane.

"Hey, Log-boy. What's the what?"

Somehow, Zane noticed this guy on the screen wasn't among Alec's favourite people list.

"Alec," Logan said, not bothering to say hello to anybody. "Is Max there? I've been calling her but I can't get through."

"That should've given you a clue," Alec muttered in a low voice so Logan couldn't understand, but every transgenic there heard it, some of them chuckled.

"What's that?" the older man asked, frowning.

"She's busy. What do you want?" Alec never wasted any good manners when it came to Logan.

"I need to talk to her." Logan wasn't going to give up or it didn't seem so.

Alec sighed without trying to hide his exasperation and asked Zane if he could go get Max.

"Zane? As in her brother Zane?" Logan attempted to dig in the subject, but Alec just nodded as a response and got away from the screen.

He got his papers in order and took off as Max came down the stairs. They stared for a second, but said nothing to each other.

Max dived in a long and unsuccesful conversation with Logan, but it was more like a monologue really. He talked and talked, and as Zane saw his sister's body language change while she listened to the man, it became obvious she was reaching her limit. However this Logan didn't seem to notice the effect he was causing.

"I've explained why I can't take that risk, Logan. Breaking the rules of the Siege by going outside threats the negotiations with the Government, you know that."

"True, but you guys still do raids at least once a week. That hardly respects the rules," Logan answered. He was getting tired of hearing excuses.

He'd asked Max for help with some intel gathering. Luca Salvaggi was the son of Angelo Salvaggi, prominent business man in the lines of imported goods during the day and italian mob king through the night. Apparently, young Luca was trying to assert his rightful place in his father ranks and was soon becoming an overachiever by killing some russians in a meeting that went south. The problem was a few innocent people got caught in the middle of the territorial dispute and the police had no evidence whatsoever to link this man to the murders. It was the perfect job for Eyes Only.

Matt Sung had approached Logan and he wanted to help, of course.

Naturally, Logan came to Max, but she denied her assistance. He understood perfectly her responsibilities as a leader, but this case was serious. A man, a woman and two kids were dead because of Luca's easy trigger. Four people were assassinated in cold blood and Logan felt the need to do something about it.

"Well, we have to survive somehow. You damn well know the Government is denying any resources. We have no choice but to do the raids and I try to stay away because after the Jam Pony incident, everyone out there knows my face. By going, I put everyone else in danger," Max said, getting more and more tired of the subject by the second.

She looked around her with the corners of her eyes and everyone was clearly trying to seem busy. Great, just what she needed. She should have taken those calls on her cell instead of doing this in the middle of HQ. She noticed Alec's gaze on her as he came down the stairs, but she chose to ignore it, turning her attention to the screen in front of her.

"Last week you went to that warehouse—" Logan started to retort but Max cut in.

"I _had_ to be there. It was too important, there was information about all of us scattered in that place," she sighed heavily. "I'm sorry, Logan. I've things to take care of."

Saying that, Max ended the call and bolted to her feet. She indicated Dix she'll be back in an hour and left. She pulled herself together, at least until she found a place to blow some steam off.

How dared he to question her decisions? Who was he to tell her if she should or shouldn't do a raid? Logan said he understood, but Max seriously doubted that.

She stomped into the gym with a fierce look in her eyes. The few people there took the hint and dissapeared. Max got off her long sleeve shirt, keeping her tank top and tied her hair in a high pony tail. Locating the nearest punching bag, she started to throw punches non stop.

How could he understand? Sympathise, perhaps; but truly understand? No.

_Punch, punch, jab._

He wasn't a transgenic, for starters. He wasn't bred to be a true blue soldier, punished when he didn't meet the trainers expectations.

_Left jab, right jab._

He didn't have to live in a toxic dump surrounded by dingy fences and dozens of ordinaries claiming for his head.

_Kick, punch, kick._

He didn't have to worry about being nuked to oblivion if the Army woke up with a case of tangled hair some morning.

_Punch, right elbow, kick._

He'd been born free and he had rights. The things he took for granted were the same the transgenics lacked and fiercely seek to have. They didn't even had birth certificates, for chrissakes!

She suddenly felt completely drained, the void extending through her as an illnes, leaving her unable to hold her own weight. She sagged onto the dusty floor and sank her head in her hands.

In moments like this, when she found herself powerless and terribly incompetent, she missed her old strange little life, before her second staying in Manticore, before this awful siege she had created. It have been her idea to make a stand, to fight back. But there were times when she longed for being responsible for only her life and no more. The sense of helpless solitude creeped on her as a tidal wave. Her throat felt closed by a knot and caustic tears threatened to fall.

That question rose in her head once again.

_Why can't I just be a girl, a regular girl?_

Max took a few deep breaths, trying to calm her antics. She wiped her cheeks, just in case a treacherous tear had dared to leave her eyes, wincing when her injured knuckles made contact with her face.

_You're not a regular girl, nor you'll ever be._ She sighed. She remembered some words Cindy'd told her some time ago. Her friend said even though her scrambled DNA had it's perks, such as heats, she could totally kick ass and ace pretty much anything she could think of.

So yeah, her life wasn't perfect but it was hers and she was going to grasp it and defend it with all she had. The same resolution applied to every resident of Terminal City as far she was concerned. She had set them loose, releasing them to the world. Now it was time for give them real freedom.

"Hey, Max. You okay?"

A male voice startled her and she was on her feet in a split second. She turned around, facing a tall X5 who eyed her with a bit of uncertanty. 272, she thought, member of the West perimeter patrol. What was his name...

"Milo... Yeah, just taking a break. You?"

She thanked her transgenic memory —_See, girl? Not all is bad_, OC would say. Max gave him a small smile, which he returned.

"I'm good. Came to do some workout, hoping I'd find someone to spar with, but the place is desolated. Bit wierd at this time of the day," he said taking off his shirt and revealing a more than fine six pack and a well toned chest.

Max felt kind of embarrased, not because of the outstanding male with mediterranean looks in front of her, but because she was the reason the gym was empty.

"I'll spar with you, if you want," Max blurted without thinking twice. She felt a little guilty for dragging everyone out of there, even when it had been unintentional.

"Sure," he answered, smiling widely at her.

They moved to the mat and started to circle each other. The guy was bigger than her, of course. But more muscle not only meant more strenght, it also condionated the body's speed. She was faster, that was for sure. They traded some kicks and punches, of which very few connected. Milo had good defence strategies, rarely left open spaces and kept his weight balanced. Yet Max had a couple of dirty tricks up her sleeve.

Both of them sparred for a good hour, before taking the definitive break. They sat on the mat and he shared with her some of the absurd experiencies he had being outside. You had to give it to the guy, he had a good sense of humor and if she had to be honest, he made her forget her worries for a while.

"I swear I didn't know what was up with her. I never was a ladies man but I wasn't completely clueless either. This chick though... There was no way I could get her, she was totally crazy," Milo said. He was telling her about an ordinary girl who had self appointed as his girlfriend.

"Guess ditching her wasn't a picnic..." Max grinned, imagining the situation.

"It was a fricking nightmare. I kept wondering if one night when I came home I'd find a boiling pot with a rabbit inside."

He was clearly exaggerating and a half smile appeared on his face. Max chuckled at the movie reference.

"That was my cue to make a run for TC," he joked while Max laughed and grasped her soring sides. His face became more serious at her moves. "I didn't hurt you, did I?" he asked, reaching for her ribs.

"No, don't worry," she answered, relaxing when he took his hand away. Milo looked relieved again.

Both transgenics heard steps approaching them and soon enough, familiar faces appeared around a corner.

"Are we interrupting?" Syl asked with a sly smile playing on her lips. Max sent her a reprobating look when Syl pointed her head at Milo and wiggled her eyebrows for only Max to see.

"There you are, Maxie. We were looking for you!" Jondy exclaimed after emerging from the hallway, clear relief passing through her features as if she'd been searching for ages. "Logan called again and again and—"

"Yeah, yeah, she gets the picture, Dee. The thing is Mole took the last call and it wasn't pretty," Syl explained, still sending a couple of interested glances at the male X5.

"Great, I'll have to put off the fires. Typical male behaviour... No offence." Max said to Milo.

"None taken," he shrugged. "Hi, I'm Milo," the X5 introduced himself with a charming smile.

"Oh, sorry. Milo, these're my sisters, Jondy and Syl. Girls, Milo," Max awkwardly gestured in between them, reminding herself she had to work on her bedside manners from time to time. "Gotta blaze, but see you around."

Max picked her stuff from the floor and waved to the male transgenic who was sporting a goofy grin and waving back.

The three females sauntered into HQ, feeling the tension in the place. Mole was at a corner, cleaning one of his many weapons with surgical precision. Dix was still in front of the computers entering data, looking wary and tired, Luke was giving him a hand. Zane had taken Krit and forced him to help to sort the papers, although the dark haired X5 was more distracted than anything. Alec was nowhere in sight. There were some whisperings around, but Max's stony expression shut them up.

Mole watched Max cross the gates and threw her a very unfriendly look which she promptly returned with even harder eyes.

Max promised her sisters to catch up later and made a beeline to her office. She closed the door and leaned on it, throwing her head back against the wood and shutting her eyes. She had been so deep in her mind that this time she hadn't noticed him. His voice startled her.

"Hey, Maxie."

"Holy crap, Alec..." she rested her hand on her chest, eyes wide open at him. He was half sitting, half lying on her couch. On first sight, he looked relaxed; but his slightly furrowed face said differently.

She walked to her desk and sat, wincing to the feel of the chair. Yeah, he was getting her a new one, he thought.

While her personal issues —namely, Logan's priorities versus the transgenics'— still whirled in the back of her mind, she sorted through the mountain of papers until she found what she was looking for: the Med Bay wishlist. Things were getting complicated with the many births there had been in the last few weeks and supplies were required. The vitamins for the toddlers, fruit of the breeding program, and their mothers were particularly difficult to find. They'd have to plan a raid for those. She had in mind taking on some pharmaceutical deposit stores. Once she had her hands on the layouts of the places was going to be a piece of cake.

She felt Alec's gaze never leaving her form to the point it unsettled her enormously and she couldn't take it anymore.

"You need something?" she almost grunted, getting more uncomfortable and not because of her damned chair.

"Are you okay, Maxie?" Alec asked, still eyeing her as if his life depended on it. He was clearly studying her.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be? And stop calling me that."

"Liar," he muttered, but Max heard him. She stopped shuffling through the papers and returned the stare. He couldn't possibly have guessed what was going on in her head. Hell, even she didn't know.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Her hard voice told him it wasn't a good moment to rise her hackles.

"I can tell when you lie, you know?" he said as a matter of factly and she had to look away. Those hazel eyes were piercing her and the idea of Alec being able to glimpse her thoughts right out scared her.

He rised from his seat and went to her desk, leaning on the old thing, which protested against the strain. He wasn't going to bring up Logan's name, but he knew whatever was bothering Max had to do with that man. Didn't it always?

Alec understood Logan's need to keep Max, who wouldn't want to? She was a hell of a woman, incredibly devoted to those she loved, fearless when the time to defend them came. There was a bit of a problem with her bitching, but he guessed it was due to the lack of existance of her sex life. She had this sort of fire within her, something untamed and wild which made her special. Yet somehow, Logan seemed capable of shutting that part of her down. When she was around the Ordinary she became wary, her expressive eyes turned dull and her face was ridden in guilt. Alec doubted the man was able to notice those subtle changes but he surely could. And that was something he hated. Really hated. See what made Max so full of life being taken away was dreadful to him.

He had talked to Cindy once while sharing a beer at Crash and the woman had kind of confessed that Max wasn't always like this. She used to be more carefree and enjoyed the small pleasures of life without worry about rights or wrongs. He would have loved to meet that Max.

He lingered there, watching her read the lists and petitions with haste until he noticed the condition of her hands and without a second thought, he snatched them into his.

Max let out a small gasp of surprise when Alec practically yanked her hands away from the desk and she was secretly grateful he talked first because she wasn't sure if she could come up with a decent sentence.

"What happened?" he asked furrowing his eyebrows, still holding her.

Max had to clear her throat before she could speak.

"I went to do some training, that's all," she responded, facing him. The guy's nerve! Really, he also had some bedside manners to work on, she thought.

Why was he rubbing his thumb in circles on her palm? That was a good question. Why wasn't she taking her hands away and slapped him on the head for good measure? That was an even better one.

Despite her inner rambling, the touch felt warm, inviting. She hadn't touched someone like this in a very long time.

_That's not true_, a little voice chanted in her head. She hugged OC everytime she stopped by TC. She constantly touched Joshua whenever they met. Her siblings were here now. In the last twenty four hours had been more hugs and holdings with them than in her hole life. So why was this different? Even though she didn't consider Alec as a brother, she did see him as a friend. Therefore this shouldn't ring any bells. It was just a friend holding another friend.

_You wanted girly? There you go. Knock yourself out._

_Agh! Enough of that nonsense_. She had problems to solve and things to look on. She extracted her hands from his, wincing at the loss of warmth.

He thought she was hurting and tried to approach again, but she cut him off.

"I'm fine, Alec."

She sounded guarded, deffensive. He insisted.

"You could have snapped something, let me check."

"I said I'm fine," she retorted, her tone harsh. She wasn't a porcelain doll, she didn't shatter at mere touch. She was a girl, but a tough one. She certainly did not need his overly warm —not to mention, incredibly unsettling— attitude to something so stupid as a few peeled knuckles. Maybe because she didn't know how to handle it.

Max realised how she'd sounded, and tried to rectify it.

"Really, it's nothing; but if you want to help I could use you to get to the Mess and ask Pete how're we doin' on food."

Alec was surprised to see Max allow him to hold her. It wasn't as if it had never happened. Sometimes Max let him see her vulnerable side, but it was rare, that's for sure.

He was lost in his mind, wondering how pissed she had been to do this sort of damage. Later, he would blame mere inertia or maybe the possibility of his thumb being able to grown it's own brain to justify the caress. But still she didn't back away_;_ which was weird, because the Max he knew should have knock him out cold for that. Perhaps she was really hurting. It was then he realised he was worried. Not just concerned or curious, but seriously worried for her welfare; as if he could not bare the thought of an endangered Max. And suddenly, she was back at her old self, dismissing him with a dull task.

He just nodded and did as she asked, milling around an unnamed feeling she had provoked in him.

Max sighed deeply, still a little unnerved. She unconciously rubbed her hands and grabbed her phone. She had some business to settle with politicians. As she dialed the well known numbers, she couldn't stop her eyes from travelling to the door where he'd dissapeared through and her mind kept wondering why Alec's touch suddenly felt so special.

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><p>More soon! Stay awesome!<p> 


	3. Chapter 3

Hello, ladies (and gentlemen?). Chapter three has arrived, but before that, I'd like to thank you guys again for reading and taking the time to review. Reviews equals to love in my world :)

Sorry I couldn't update sooner but that thing called life keeps getting in the way. Plus, this one was kind of a challenge. I had to re-write half of it 'cause it just didn't 'sound' right. Does that make any sense? Who knows...

As always, I do not own Dark Angel nor the No Doubt's lyrics, though the possible typos do belong to me.

Anyway, I hope you'll enjoy it!

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><p><strong>Sunday Morning<strong>

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><p><em>Sappy pathetic little me<br>That was the girl I used to be  
>You had me on my knees<br>I'd trade you places any day _

_Sunday Morning – No Doubt_

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><p>Max woke up early, as usual. Knowing there was no way she'd go back to sleep, she abandoned the blanket's warmth and grabbing some fresh clothes, sauntered to the bathroom. She came to a halt hearing Alec's rhythmic slow breaths coming from the living room where he was sleeping soundly. Leaning on the bedroom's door frame, she got a glimpse of him. He was lying on his back, his left arm up on the pillow. His head was partially turned to her and his lips slightly parted. Long thick lashes rested on his cheekbones, his face completely relaxed. The steady rise and fall of his chest indicated he wasn't aware of her presence. Apparently, he felt safe enough with her being in his enviroment, for he didn't stir.<p>

There's something you don't see every day, she thought. When awake, Alec's face was always saying something. She'd learnt how to distinguish his true smiles from his trademark smirks. She knew how to tell if he was embarrased —yes, for her own shock, Alec knew what shame was and sometimes he couldn't stop from showing it— or if he was trying to get himself loose from the hook. She knew that when his feelings threatened to rise he'd conceal them according to Manticore's teachings, slamming that mask on his face, pretending to be _always alright_.

Max sighed and looked out the window. The sky was turning to a lighter blue. Strangely enough, a sunny day appeared to be in the cards. Smiling softly at the prospect, she turned and headed to take that shower.

She emerged from the bathroom when the rising sun rays already filtered through the living room window. The smell of fresh brew coffee invaded her nose and she inhaled deeply. She loved that scent in the morning. A pleased little smile appeared on her face which soon became a grin at the sight of Alec in the kitchen with a serious case of bed hair. She resisted the urge to chuckle and make him aware of her staring. Alec seemed completely focused on making breakfast. Scrambled eggs, toasts and coffee. He'd must felt her gaze and he turned around rather comically, his face showing the signs of a person who hasn't been awake for more than ten minutes.

"Mornin', sleepyhead," Max joked. She was on a really good mood despite de events of the week, by 'events' meaning her discussion with Logan. She hadn't called him yet, but it was on the top on her 'to do' list.

"Mornin', Maxie," he answered in a deep voice.

Alec gave her a smile, one of the real ones that even reached his eyes. His hazel irises were brighter than any other occasion she could remember, maybe because of sun light; yet there was something there she couldn't... She shook her head, smile still playing on her lips, not wanting to over analyze the moment.

Max came closer to him and stood on her toes, searching the highest shelf for two cups. She felt Alec turn to her, trying to help most likely.

"S' okay, I got it," she said, holding firmly the porcelain Joshua'd made for her. She poured coffee in both and handed one of them to Alec. Just like that, the smile was back on his face.

The need to tell him he should do that more often surged in Max. He had a beautiful smile. However, she didn't want the atmosphere to change, so she kept her mouth shut or rather occupied with her coffee.

She remembered quite well what Joshua'd said of Alec. _Outside, tricks and treats. Inside, darkness and confussion._ But in times like this she had the certainty that not only bad memories lain within him. There was also light and a kind heart under his devil-may-care façade. She just wasn't so sure how would he react if she dared to say it out loud, nor if she would be up to the challenge.

"Hope you're hungry, Maxie."

His voice pulled her out of her thoughts. Max nodded in response and approached to the kitchen stall, sitting beside him. She was half way on her eggs when the silence became too much for him.

"So, what are your plans for this fine Sunday?" he asked nonchalantly, sipping his coffee.

"Well, I have some schemathics to look on and... uhm... some calls to make. Other than that..." she shrugged to end the sentence. She didn't want to bring up Logan's name.

"Leave the work for the evening, Max. I'll give you a hand. Enjoy the day," he said, gesturing towards the window.

It was truly a wonderful day, a rare occurence given Seattle's normal weather. He was right, she couldn't waste such opportunity keeping herself locked up in HQ.

"What do you suggest?"

The thought of the strangeness of her asking for his opinion on something non work related didn't compute in her head. Yet surely did in his, for Alec's brow frowned. He gaped for a moment and as soon as he realised she was obviously waiting for an answer, he urged his brain back into function.

"I uhm... was thinking to go visit Josh. Haven't seen him all week. Wanna come?" he offered, hoping for the best. But this was Max, therefore, he also braced for the worst.

"Yeah, sure," she nodded and stood, collecting the already empty plates and cups. "What?" she asked when she saw Alec's surprised expression.

"Nothin'... I'll take a shower."

"Yeah, go. I'll clean this up."

Alec did as he said. Looked for some clothes in his duffel bag —he had to do something about that. He would have to grow a pair and ask for some space in Max's closet— and then headed to take a bath. He undressed, checking in the mirror the bruising on his ribs, consequence of his last sparring session going a bit out of hand. He had been riled up by a bunch of things, namely Max, and he'd lost his concentration. The bruise was almost gone. He recalled Max's injured hands and her reluctance to share the reason for it, but he was pretty sure it was due to Logan. He sighed. That man was going to be Max's doom. They had broken up months ago and he still refused to let her be. If he loved her so much as he said he did, why not respect her decision? Sure, Logan was a smart man and he knew how to build his case through indirect actions, but it was no secret he wanted her back.

Alec wondered though why it mattered so much to him, it wasn't his problem after all and Max was capable of fighting her own battles.

After a proper shaving and a shower, he stepped out of the bathroom fully dressed, finding the place tidy and overly quiet. The bed was made, the kitchen was clean. Even his blankets and pillow had been put carefully away. But no Max. She had bolted and ditched him yet again. _Figures._ It was too good to be true that she actually would enjoy spending time with him.

That's when he found a little note waiting on the kitchen stall. Max's round handwritting filled the paper.

_I'll be back in ten._

—_M._

Suddenly, he felt incredibly stupid. For starters, Max had shut him up once again and this time she didn't even had to open her mouth to do so. And second, what was with this woe-is-me fest he was throwing? Pathetic, he thought. Just what he needed, being whipped by a piece of paper.

_The note has nothing to do with this and you know it... It's writer probably does._

Alec groaned. Whatever. He was _not_ walking down that road, no way. Last thing he needed was his amazing IQ deciphring what the hell it was going on between him and Max, because once the knowledge is at concious reach is damn difficult to push away. Besides, this hole thing of sharing living space was confusing at best. He'd thought it'd be a walk in the park; okay, maybe not that easy, but simpler than this. Alec's problem wasn't the banter and witty remarks or her late night pacing through the bedroom, not even her bitchiness —he couldn't believe he was _actually_ thinking that. All that was familiar, a safe ground of sorts. The issue were those moments when he caught himself considering the prospect of something more, like when she smiled tenderly or she laughed hard because of one of his lame jokes...

His inner rambling came to a halt when he heard a loud thump and then the front door opened.

"A little help here..."

Max came in bearing four full loaded backpacks and they appeared to be heavy as well. Alec rushed to her side, grabbing a couple of the bags, confirming that.

"What the hell, Max? What's this?" he asked, letting his cargo down on the kitchen floor.

"Our monthly rations," she responded, pointing at them as if it was obvious. Alec frowned.

"Why didn't you wait for me?" Okay... That'd sounded a little too whiny for his own liking and he was secretly glad Max was looking the other way when he spoke, because he was sure he'd made a face to go with.

"Well, you seemed eager to celebrate your thirtieth birthday in the shower so I had time to spare." He stared at her smiling form, his silence implying she wasn't nearly as funny as she thought she was. She always teased him about his looks and how much time and energy he invested in his morning shaves. He'd explained that with their transgenics metabolisms, their hair growth rate was higher, something she already knew. She'd told him to stop being such a girl.

"I could've helped," he said, feeling a bit useless. _Stop the whine, dude... Seriously... _The voice of his conscience sounded strangely similar to Mole's.

"It's not a big deal, Alec. 'Sides, wanna help? Here," she said while passing him some of the canned goods from the bags.

Swiftly and in silence, they started to put the food away and Max set apart a box of cookies to take to Joshua's. Alec was too deep in thought to notice the glances she was throwing from time to time.

At first, he hadn't been sure what to make of this Max, the one who didn't want to murder him as soon as he opened his mouth. But as the months rolled through and Max'd seem less and less inclined to rip him a new one by merely being there, he found himself enjoying the novelty. He remembered all too well _that_ night, the wariness of waiting for her to make the stellar appearance and explode as Ellie patched him up in Med Bay. The raid was suppossed to be fairly simple, yet being who they were and since apparently they had their own chapter in Murphy's law, it went completely south. Four of them were injured, they'd lost Cody and of course, he'd been shot while retrieving the body. When Max came through the door, it was nothing like he'd expected. There had been a haunted look on her face, an infinite and desperate fear as she searched frantically the room with her gaze until she found his eyes. She rushed to where he was and hugged him tightly without a word. They never spoke about that. He did his debrief, as usual, but she didn't say anything about the hug and he didn't ask. He knew then something had changed between them. Yeah, they still fought —to put it mildly— on occasions, mostly because they were Max and Alec and that made things seem unaltered, but the sharp edge she used to put to her words wasn't there anymore and he began to look closely, recognizing those aspects of her personality he once thought as weaknesses really weren't.

"Get your jacket, it's freezing out there." Max's voice startled him and he looked outside.

"Really? Doesn't seems so..." he said absently. The sun had warmed up their home and he felt the urge to stay indoors, maybe even catch a movie with Max. He hated being cold.

_Yeah, sure_. _What's next? Cuddling on the couch?, _the Mole in his head mocked.

"Yeah, northern wind bites like a bitch," Max provided while she checked her pockets for her belongings, but then she saw his smirk and regretted her poor choice of words. "Keep it in your head, Pretty Boy."

She turned and exited the room with the sound of Alec's laugh.

They reached the street and had to brace themselves. Max wasn't lying, it was really cold. She shuddered and Alec rubbed his hand against her back, trying to warm her up. She muttered a 'thanks' as he passed his arm over her shoulders and they started walking to Josh's apartment.

Max allowed the holding, leaning on the chilly weather as an excuse. She could feel the warmth of his body pressed on her side, thinking it wasn't a big deal, at least until they passed by a couple of X6's who stared at them with curious eyes. Great. More raw matter for the rumours factory.

Being two blocks away from their destination, they encountered with Syl, Zane and Jondy, who were chatting on a corner, while Kitty, Zane's german shepherd, did her morning walk.

"Yo! Love birds!" Syl shouted and Max winced at the nickname.

While they exchanged a few words, Kitty's curiosity seemed to spike up and run away, dissapearing through a corner. Zane blurred after her and they after Zane. The group of transgenics made a sharp turn to find themselves with a rather endearing yet kind of weird scene. Kitty was sitting on the middle of the street, barking _with_ Joshua. Apparently, they were having quite the conversation. Max was the first to react. She knew Josh could do that because she had seen him do it before.

"Hey, Big Fella. Seems you got a new friend," she said and hugged the tall transhuman.

"Hey, Little Fella. Kitty and Joshua friends now," he answered, utterly pleased.

"You know her name?" Zane asked, puzzled. Joshua just grinned and nodded.

"Hey, big guy." Alec patted his friend back and Joshua smiled widely to him.

"Joshua, these are my brother and sisters, Zane, Jondy and Syl," Max introduced them and they waved at the huge dog-man. Joshua had other ideas, though.

"Ah! More family!" he exclaimed and hugged all three of them tightly.

"Oh! Wow! You got some grip, Joshua," Jondy said, brushing her upper arm. He smiled appologetically.

"We were on the way to your place, Josh. Here," Alec spoke, giving his friend the box of cookies they'd brought to him.

"Thanks, Alec," he said, smiling fondly. Those were his favourite snacks. "Come, come. Inside Joshua's home. Very cold outside."

Max nodded to her siblings and they all started walking again. Relief coursed through them when they entered to the warm room.

Joshua's place was bigger than the average on TC but it was crowded with painted and clean canvas. Some hanged over the walls but most of them were leaning altogether. The transhuman made some room, shifting the locations of some paintings.

After Annie's death, Joshua didn't have the strength to even pick up his brushes. The pain had been overwhelming, too much for him to bare. The deep sadness kept him from concentrating in anything else but his lost friend. However, his arrival to TC had increasingly cheered him up, finding other things to do and get distracted. He'd started to work with clay and soon enough, he'd teached himself to do all sorts of kitchen utilities. Having found a run down bakery with a old but usable oven had helped as well. Then, one good day, he'd found his muse again and started to paint, frantically making up for the lost time. Thanks to Alec's raids, he had all he needed to keep his business going. Now, the entire population of the Freak Nation had fully equiped kitchens and art pieces hanging in their apartments.

Max helped Joshua with the coffee and the tea for Syl —oh yeah, Max had her payback right there, now she was going to fake a british accent around her sister— while the rest of the transgenics got settled. Kitty found a comfy place near the heater and fell asleep.

"No offence, dude, but naming your dog Kitty? Seems kind of twisted," Alec joked and Zane laughed.

"Yeah, it doesn't make so much sense when you say it like that."

"You know you're gonna have Josh in your place really often now, don't you?"

"Thought so. Not that I mind, seems like a great guy," Zane commented, looking to the small kitchen where his sister was carefully listening to what the transhuman was trying to explain with a mix of words and gestures.

"He is," Alec confirmed.

"Oh, I wanted to thank you, Alec," Syl said with a sincere look on her face. "I know you gave us your apartment, although you didn't have to."

Alec drew his gaze to the brunette he shared a home with, feeling kind of awkward. Max'd told her sister about the subject, of course.

"It's nothing. Anything for Max and her family." He dismissed the subject with a gesture, missing the knowing look on Syl's face.

"I hope you guys weren't telling lies about me," Max said, trying to keep a straight face and sound dangerous. She was carrying a tray full of steemy cups with Joshua right behind her, cookie box in hand.

Josh took a seat next to Zane and offered him a snack as Max deposited the tray on the coffee table and sat beside Alec. She noticed his hazel eyes had that mischievous glint that screamed 'brewing process going on' and couldn't help wonder why was he in such good mood.

"They were just telling me what a cute little thing you were at the age of nine," Alec said with a wide grin. Her siblings chuckled.

"Oh, _please_. You damn well know I don't do cute," she retorted, rolling her eyes.

Jondy could bearly keep her giggles at bay. Syl was grinning like the Cheshire cat and Zane was openly laughing. Joshua couldn't decide if he should tell Max she did cute from time to time, especially with the X8's.

"C'mon, Maxie. Admit it, you were a hobbit back then," Syl provided and Alec had to laugh at the murderous look on Max's face.

"Yeah, 'cause you were _so_ much taller than me... Even Zane was like this," she held her hand up in the air, indicating an apparently insulting height, because her brother made a sound of discontent. She winked at him and he returned the gesture.

"Well, little or not, you always carried a hell of a right hook," Jondy remembered and Zane rubbed his chin absently. Max laughed, nodding.

"I sense a story here," Alec cut in, shifting his gaze between them.

"Our little _sis_ right here was enraged with Zack, our CO. I can't quite remember why though..." Syl made a pause, waiting for someone who could provide her with the information.

"Jack had pulled her finger by hiding her boots and Zack took out on her rather than him, spilling big words about responsibilities on our belongins and so forth..." Jondy said, shaking her head in amusement.

"Oh, right... Anyhow, Maxie was pissed as hell and Zack kept on ranting until she had enough. So, logical answer for Max: put her entire weight on her arm and aim for the CO's jaw," Syl said, making the mimics of the moves.

"No..." Alec looked at Max and she shrugged. Joshua was listening with full attention.

"Wait! It doesn't end there... Zack had sharp reflexes, but younger Zane wasn't that fast and he was standing in the wrong place. He never saw it coming. Zack moved back and Max's fist connected on Zane's face. There was some epic bruising, if I recall correctly," Jondy ended the sentence mixing the last words with chuckles.

"'Epic bruising' is the understatement of the century. A quarter of my face was black. It hurt like a bitch!" Zane said, thinking back.

"Little Fella dangerous," Joshua concluded. Zane nodded in agreement.

"Hold on, how did you got off the hook after throwing a punch to an officer?" Alec was intrigued by Max's life before his less than stellar appearance in hers. He wanted to know all he could about her and she hardly talked of the subject.

"Zack always had a soft spot for Max," Syl said, calming her mirth. Alec couldn't help to agree inside his head. More than that, Zack'd been head over heels for Max as he himself had the 'priviledge' to witness. The thought bothered him, a lot.

"I think he was just relieved it was me and not him." Zane laughed while he remembered those times when they all lived together.

After that, they turned their chat to the present, talking about TC and the negotiations with the Government, their future plans and hopes.

Max's siblings were here to stay, they'd made it clear. They wanted to help. TC's inhabitants were their people too and they'd had enough of living segregated. A life on the run is not life at all, Jondy said with a trace of sadness on her voice and Max agreed. They longed to share moments like this, being themselves without fear of what others might think about their 'heritage'; something Alec could relate to. And even though things weren't even near to perfection, they were together for the first time in what felt like forever.

Max stood up to carry the empty cups to the kitchen and get refills, having Alec's silent help. Joshua was busy showing his paintings to the rest of them. Alec could hear their muffled voices coming from the studio.

He eyed Max carefully, not trying to conceal his gaze. She was happy having her family here and that knowledge made him smile. He reckoned she deserved it.

His life hadn't been easy but he guessed for Max wasn't a joyride either, being all alone. He tried to picture himself at the age of nine on the run, after losing everything and everyone he knew. New world, new rules. Always looking over his shoulder. She hadn't endured with Psy-Ops or morning drills for those ten years, but she'd traded her prison for another. She hadn't been free and that's what she seeked so hard to be, that's why she fought with her entire will for everyone's rights. The idea felt like a slap on the face. All those times when he'd thought the 09'ers had taken the easy way out... He'd never been so wrong in his life.

Alec realised she was looking back at him, trying to figure out what was going inside his mind. _If you only knew, Maxie..._

He was about to say something when a loud tune pierced the calm of the kitchen.

Max flinched and extracted her phone from a pocket. She looked the display and winced at the sight of the caller's name. Logan.

_It's never gonna be on my terms, is it? _

She sighed deeply.

"Sorry, I've to take it. I'll be back in a few," she said apollogetically.

"Everything okay?"

Those hazel eyes stared at her, his face concerned and she wanted to say 'no', but...

"Yeah, no worries."

She took the call and muttered a 'hold on'. After throwing her jacket on and get the phone next to her ear, she glanced one last time at Alec who was still standing in the kitchen. He saw the defeat on her features as she said 'yeah, I'm here' and left the apartment.

Alec walked to the window, seeing Max on the street argue fiercely through the phone. He couldn't hear what she was saying because of the howling wind but she certainly did not seem pleased with the conversation. Her hands were all over the place, mirroring through gestures her annoyance and probably anger. Alec debated with himself, thinking on the only cause he could come up with for Max being so upset. He watched her shift her weight from one foot to another. Her shoulders were tensed and her face strained, as if she couldn't believe what she was listening.

This was the last thing Max needed, he knew that. She worked very hard and she deserved a day off. But no... As usual, the Ordinary had to do something to stick a gloomy expression on her face.

"What're we lookin' at?" Syl asked, standing beside him. "Oh, I see. Max's ranting," she self-answered.

Alec shook his head.

"She has a remarkable good reason... I'd bet you my Bandit on that," he spoke in a low voice.

"How so?" Syl appeared to be confused.

Alec thought maybe he should keep his mouth shut. He had no saying in how much of her life Max wanted to share. But then again, this was her sister and Syl had Max's trust.

"Logan," he said courtly. His lips pressed into a thin line. However, the blonde didn't loose her puzzled expression. Alec made himself clear.

"They broke up a while ago, or rather Max did. Still, the Ordinary didn't take the hint. He guilt trips her every time he can."

Syl stared at Alec, noticing the harsh tone of his voice and his clenched fists. She wanted to smile at his protective stance towards her sister but she wasn't so sure how he would take it, so she turned her gaze to the street, where Max was. She was going to have a serious talk with her baby sister and make her come clean.

Zooming his sight, Alec saw Max end the call. She stared the phone for a moment while her right hand reached her face, brushing some tears away. He felt his own anger rise. He itched for having Logan in front of him and punch him in the face, although that only would upset Max even more. Still, a guy could dream with paybacks and bloody noses. He saw Max put her phone in her pocket and without further warning, she ran away.

"What're you waitin' for? A signed invitation?" Syl's sarcasm reached his ears. "Go after her."

The woman nudged his arm, practically pushing him out of the apartment and then he was running too.

Max ran and climbed stairs with haste, reaching the top of TC's highest building feeling out of breath and not because of the exertion. The strong wind whirled around her body, tangling her hair and cooling her damped cheeks, even though she wasn't crying anymore. Maybe she'd emptied her Logan-assigned tears quota. A pained noise scaped her throat, a failed attempt to a ironic laugh. She wrapped her arms over her chest, futilely trying to shield herself from the cold.

Max'd made everything in her power to avoid this situation. At first, in the times the Siege was news through all the country, she'd tried to divide her attention between TC and Logan. Her life in those days was a sum of raids and rescue missions for astray transgenics, huge amounts of paperwork, Eyes Only assignments, plus a long line of etceteras. She felt responsible for her people but she didn't want to let Logan down either.

The adrenaline faded away eventually but the frenzy of the Freak Nation never stopped. There'd always be raids, hunted transgenics, housing problems, food shortage; and it was her job to keep up, swimming in a thick tide, fighting to stay afloat.

She'd lasted exactly two months, five days and fifteen hours before she colapsed. She remembered feeling incredibly exhausted and nauseated while she was seeing a lay out of TC's buildings. Then, all turned black. Next thing she knew, she was waking up in Med Bay —IV included— with Alec's worried face by her side, having lost an entire day of her life. Alec'd been unusually pissed off with the careless on her own health. Despite her refusal, he'd gotten an apartment for her when she was cleared by Doc.

Max'd realised then she couldn't take care of everything. Something had to give; so she'd called Logan and explained her predicament. There was no way she would abandon her people nor her responsibilities as a leader. She'd told Logan she was sorry, but she wasn't going to put Eyes Only over the survival of her race. He'd said he understood and for like three seconds, she felt relieved.

Days became weeks and her 'relationship' with Logan slowly mutated. Every time they talked was an increasing challenge. Their fewer and fewer dinners together became the perfect excuse for him to talk about missions; and as he kept asking for assistance, her answer was mostly the same: she couldn't take the risk. Sometimes the guilt won the match and she ended finding herself in an old damp closet, cursing her lack of will when it came to Logan. It never seemed enough though, because the man kept talking to her in condescenting tones, as if he knew better. He probably did in a lot of ways, but Max just couldn't shake the need to fight back. As a last method of restrain, she opted for talk less and less with him.

The passive-agressive deal went on until one day she realised they'd both changed. Logan was heading to a path she couldn't follow, she didn't _want_ to follow. It hit her like a ton of bricks. She still loved him, but she wasnt't _in love_ with him. That time, Logan said nothing.

Now, months later, she couldn't help to think Logan hadn't dwelt in a single word she'd spoken and that enraged her in ways she didn't believe it was possible.

Max'd known a confrontation with Logan would come sooner or later, yet she'd kept a glimmer of hope on the alternative. She thought the conversation could've gone better, but she was so angry at him she couldn't made herself to care. Logan swore he loved her, told her she was important, but never, not once in all those months he'd asked her how she felt.

Seeing him for the man he really was and not his idealized form she'd created in her head was a necessary evil. Logan wasn't a bad man. He was dedicated to his work, often becoming obssessed about it. He would switch to tunnel vision and everything but his goal dissappeared. She was no match against that. Looking beyond the denial walls of her mind stung but it was the right thing to do.

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She smelt the cold in the wind and wondered if snow would come sometime this week. She also preceived his scent, so familiar to her brain by now. She felt his gaze on her back and heard him take a step foward and stop, hesitant.

Max turned for a moment and looked Alec in the eyes, seeing his concern. She wanted to speak, say something, but what? _'Hey, Alec! I just kicked Logan's ass to the curb for good. Feel like having lunch?'_ had a nice ring to it but he would start doubting her sanity. Words weren't her department so she just turned back and waited.

Alec'd searched for Max everywhere. Their apartment, her office, the gym. He even stopped by Med Bay. It was a long shot but better to be safe than sorry. He had to find her and make sure she was alright. _Why_ was a dangerous question.

He wasn't the type of guy who brooded on things. If he saw something —or someone— he wanted, he got it. Plain and simple. No need to whirl around it. Nonetheless, he held this kind of acquaintance with certain female transgenic and she personified the exception to his rule.

From the moment he met Max in that grey dull cell, he'd been doomed. She was the antithesis of all he knew, even Rachel; and she kept suprising him and proving him wrong. The treacherous 09'er who wasn't a traitor after all, because she defended her people with teeth and nails. The icy unreachable woman who was one hundred percent capable of melting an iceberg with a warm smile. The insensitive bitch who secretly shed more than one tear everytime they lost one of their own.

She never gave him what he expected, so at first it had been a challenge for him. Riling Max up was one of his favourite hobbies —he wasn't planning on admitting it out loud. However, true to her fashion, trust Max to spoil your fun. So when he teased her because she'd run away and his twin had gone psycho, she named him. When he tried to kill her, she saved his life. When he wanted to shut himself, she appeared and dragged him out.

He didn't realise at the time what was actually going on. With every unexpected turn Max took, he shifted his way and followed. She had shaped him into the man he was becoming, yet he doubted she even knew it.

Sometimes, the feeling of owing her so much overwhelmed him. Still, that was not the only reason why he'd searched half of Terminal City for her. Max was so ingrained in his life he just couldn't picture it without her. Oh, yeah... That scared the shit out of him, big time. And even though he wanted to blissfuly ignore the elephant in the room, he couldn't. Just couldn't. Not anymore.

Of course she would be up there, the highest she could get. Alec suddenly doubted if she wanted him there, maybe she needed space; but when she looked at him with red-rimmed eyes and that helpless expression, he knew he had to stay.

Alec stood by Max while she scouted the light blue sky with her gaze.

"I was thinking it was a good thing you weren't in my unit back at Manticore," he said nonchalantly and her head shot at him, her eyebrows in a deep frown. He cleared his throat and explained. "Well, I was CO and seeing your slight problem with authority, I'm more than grateful you weren't my subordinate. I would've hated ending up with a rainbowy bruise covering the half of my face."

Max snorted and he grinned.

"Yeah, that would've ruined your chances with girls. Tragedy and mayhem, right?" Max commented sarcastically.

"Hey! I resent that. I'm more than a handsome face. My personality rocks," he defended with fake hurt.

"Whatever, Pretty Boy," she quipped.

They fell silent for some good ten minutes and Max thought Alec was probably breaking his personal record this time.

"It'll be okay, you know that, don't you?" Alec spoke in a deep voice without a hint of his casualness from before.

Max stared at him wondering how he could do that, change moods so suddenly. His eyes pierced hers and the breath got caught in her throat. There was something primal in the hazel, like hunger mixed with protectiveness and it made Max shudder. Alec thought she was cold.

He didn't think. He turned to face her and came closer, hugging her. She accepted and returned his warm embrace, realising how much she needed to be held like this. Leaning on him and burying her face in his chest, she inhaled, loosing herself in his scent. Alec rested his lips over her hair and kissed her softly, much alike as he'd done when she confessed him Ben's story; except this time he was carrying way more heavy feelings. He didn't want to think about it, he didn't want to put those feelings a _name_.

He closed his eyes and spoke again.

"I'm sorry, Max."

"Don't be. It was bound to happen."

Alec knew she was talking about her arguement with Logan, but he almost chuckled when he became aware how well the choice of words fit with his present situation.

"Crap!" Max snapped suddenly, taking herself a few inches apart from him. His eyes opened wide and looked at her, fearing some of the turmoil inside him had seeped out. "I left everyone at Joshua's without a word..." she clarified and Alec let out a breath of relief.

"I wouldn't worry, they seemed quite busy checking Josh's paintings. Besides, you know the Big Fella is a people's person. He's probably teaching Zane how to work with clay to the beat of Unchained Melody as we speak," he nudged her with a half smile and Max had to laugh. It was a lame joke, but the visuals in her mind did all the job.

Alec's smile grew wider as she chuckled and he saw an opening for his usual tease.

"I could always show you how to. What do you say, Maxie? You, me, some clay... Things could get... nasty..." he grinned in that charming way of his that drove women crazy and winked.

"You'd have to learn first, and somehow I don't think you can manage the music and Joshua's lessons," she said, pretending to dwell on the matter for a moment.

Max laughed again when saw Alec turning a bit pale.

"C'mon, Pretty Boy. We have some schematics to check."

He would've protested but she took his hand in hers and led them both out of the roof. Alec glanced at their joined hands, a full new horizon of posibilities standing in front of him in the form of a beautiful woman. So he did the obvious, he smiled.

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><p>More soon! Stay awesome!<p> 


	4. Chapter 4

Hey, everyone!

I thought this was gonna take a lot longer but the weekend was quiet, so I was able to put a few hours into this baby. This chapter wasn't originally planned. I mean, there was definitely going to be a Ch. 4 and it was a long one, over 10k words. Too long. So I split it but it's original name didn't fit its content, and then the content itself sounded awful... Lets just say my boyfriend's stares because of my outloud ranting were priceless. Anyway, after a while, I came through and it's my favourite so far. The second part of Ch. 4 (which we'll call Ch. 5 from now on) needs a lot of work though. But I'll make it happen, eventually.

As always, thanks a lot for the reviews and I hope y'all enjoy it!

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><p><strong>It's my life<strong>

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><p><em>It's funny how I find myself<br>In love with you  
>If I could buy my reasoning<br>I'd pay to lose_

_It's my life – No Doubt_

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><p>Krit walked into the gym, following Syl's lead. The last couple of weeks had been suprisingly good. He didn't know what to expect of Terminal City at first, when Jondy came with the intel of the transgenic community. The knowledge of Max being there had been the catalyst for them to make the decision of going. He felt shocked, though, when he found out Max was the leader there. That had filled him with pride. Now, after a while of being in the transgenic's central he realized it would have been a mistake not to come. They were confined, yes, but there was safety in numbers as well. Plus, living with people like him made up for any of the cons. He had family, friends and his mate there, and most important, they didn't have to hide anymore. The thought made him smile.<p>

Both of them had come to the gym to do some workout and he felt curious as they were greeted with a large amount of people surrounding one of the mats. The sounds of blows being exchanged mixed with the whispers of the crowd filled the room. Everybody seemed overly concentrated on the match in front of them and Krit frowned. Maybe two long time rivals were sparring and that had brought the transgenic's attention.

He looked around and saw Zane, Jace and Jondy a few feet away, along with Joshua. The large transhuman was speaking in a low voice to Jondy and she was nodding, but neither of them tore their gaze away from the front. Syl spotted their siblings and holding Krit's hand in hers, walked towards them, zigzagging through the people to get there.

"Hey, guys," Krit greeted with a curious expression. "What's goin' on?"

Jace pointed at the mat with her head and Syl chuckled.

"Figures... I'm shocked I haven't seen them spar until now," she said, her tone mysterious, as if she knew something the others didn't.

On the mat, Max and Alec were circling and staring each other as if the rest of the world didn't exist, their attention completely focused on the other one. She was in her sports bra and loose cotton pants, her hair up in a messy pony tail. Clearly, she'd come intending to do some training. He instead was in jeans, his tee laid on a corner of the mat, long discarded; as if he'd taken a passing opportunity. Krit couldn't help wonder if they'd realised the kind of crowd they'd gathered.

Max made a sudden move, apparently aiming for his right and when Alec shielded from the incoming blow, she changed her dynamics, sending her knee to his left side. The kick connected but he didn't even wince. Instead, he launched a series of punches which Max managed to block to finally back away with a perfect back flip. She didn't waste any time though, she lashed at him with a combination of jabs and kicks trying to get an opening in his defense.

"She's really fast," Krit commented, understanding why people seemed so interested in these two. There was no holding back or it didn't seem so, but they weren't trying to inflict real damage. They were almost coordinated and you could tell they knew their moves well enough to anticipate them. Still, there was something alluring to their way of fighting and Krit noticed their wide smiles.

"Alec give Little Fella lessons," Joshua provided. "Little Fella make up for lost years of training."

Zane considered the information, a little surprised because he wouldn't just expect Max of all people picked up where she left when it came to Manticore's teachings; but he finally decided it made sense. They'd missed a lot of 'schooling' while being outside and if Max intended to guide them all, she needed to be at her best, tactically and physically speaking. Leading through example... He had to give it to Max, she might be a lot of things, but fool wasn't one of them.

Jondy turned her head to the side to get a better look. "He's not slow either," she said seeing Alec dodge gracefully two kicks and a punch. "And he's probably stronger."

"Lots of UST," Joshua blurted out of nowhere and Max's siblings stared at him with puzzlement. Only Syl grinned, knowing what the transhuman meant.

Jace couldn't help to speak for the rest. "What?"

"Unresolved sexual tension," Syl clarified still grinning.

"Yeah, thanks Captain," Zane said with sarcasm. "We all know what it means, but between them?" he pointed at the mat where the sparring went on.

Syl's gaze shifted between the members of her family and by their looks she was forced to ask. "Duh! C'mon! No one else noticed?" She couldn't believe her sibling's thick heads. It was more than obvious, at least for her. She pointedly looked at Jondy and Jace in true disbelief. The guys were... well, guys; so you can't just expect them know how to pick up certain signs. But her sisters? Damn! Where was their female sixth sense?

Everytime she caught Max and Alec together she could see it in their body language. The stolen glances, the secret smiles, that occasional touch... It all fitted. How could they not see it?!

Syl snorted, rolling her eyes.

"Well, when you say it like that, I guess there's something going on there, but I'm not sure..." Jondy spoke softly, considering the posibilities in her mind.

"I suspect there's more than that..." Syl said, completely sure of herself. Zane's eyebrows rised in a mixture of curiosity and skepticism.

Krit's eyes were full of mirth, mainly because he knew when something got stuck in his mate's head, there was nothing to do or say on the subject, she would hold her position at all costs.

"You think they're together?" Jace asked, still incredulous. Joshua shook his head but it was Syl who answered.

"Nah, not yet. Max is too fond of her denial and Alec seems hesitant to say something about it, but if I know the guy, he'll take the plunge eventually. And I'll bet you guys whatever you want, she'll freak out big time when it happens." Syl grinned again, noticing the reticence on her siblings and Krit's faces, yet she shared an accomplice look with Joshua. Both of them trusted their gut feeling on this. "Y'all can thank me later for the heads up and I'll get to say 'I told you so'."

Krit had to chuckle after that.

The match ended, neither Max nor Alec getting the upper hand and the transgenics dispersed, clearing the place a bit. The contenders approached to the little 09'ers gathering, briefly catching up. Alec was the first to go his way, claiming dibs on the shower and for his own astonishment, Max didn't say anything about it, she just nodded. He asked Zane and Krit to meet him in Command later and leisurely walked home.

While being in the shower, he heard Max padding around her room, maybe searching for fresh clothes. He supposed he would find her waiting for her turn when he stepped out of the bathroom, but she was nowhere in sight. He shrugged and got dressed.

When he got to HQ, his team plus Krit and Zane were already waiting for him. They were going to ultimate details on the raid they'd planned for that night, hoping to score a fairly decent amount of canned goods since their reservoirs were getting low. Also, he knew Max had her own plans for the evening. She had her eyes on a couple of pharmaceutical warehouses. He'd argued to the point of exhaustion with her about it. The thought of Max not taking him as her back up was extremely odd in his mind and it bothered him enormously. They didn't always share missions, for Max tried not to participate on his insistence —she'd put up quite a fight during that discussion, all right—; but everytime she went out the fence, he'd gone with her. So, when Max told him she was having her own team and quest, he kind of freaked out. They'd fought, but he couldn't make Max change her mind. He reluctantly accepted not liking it a bit. To add another fun fact to the equation, Max'd been acting weird around him; not precisely avoiding his company, but when they were in the same room, she scaped his gaze and spoke almost no words. Of course, the whole deal screamed strange to him, but he couldn't seem to be able to put a finger on what the hell the problem was.

He greeted his team and introduced them to Max's brothers. Alec displayed the schematics he'd been studying for a few days and explained his ideas as everyone leaned on to take a look.

"So, we get in through the north entrance, right?" Steve asked, pointing his mate, Lila, and Casey, a pettite female with bright honey coloured eyes.

"Yeah and Zane is going with you guys. He and Casey will cover your rear while you break in," Alec explained and Zane nodded. "AJ, Krit and I will go through this window," he said while putting his finger over the blue prints, pointing a particular spot.

"Security?" the dark haired transgenic known as AJ asked.

"Minimal, but we've to knock'em out before they can call for back up. Remember, guns're just a precaution. Last thing we need is a bunch of cops and TV cameras on us. So, a quiet in and out is our objective, is that clear?"

"Crystal," Lila answered and the rest complied. Alec's CO mode was hard to ignore.

Alec nodded, feeling pleased with his people. They had excelent chances of achieving their goal and get out unnoticed. He was about to speak again when he heard laughter, _her_ laughter, somewhere behind him.

Not so much caring for being discrete, he turned and saw Max covering her chuckles with her hand while a male spoke closely to her, too closely for his liking. She was extending some rolls of schematics on a table and showing them to the transgenic beside her. Alec knew the guy, his name was Milo. 272 specialized in stealth and recon, not bad at all as an strategist and if he recalled correctly, impressive scores in the fire range. Charming and good looking were apparently on the list as well. However, he didn't know Milo and Max held some sort of acquaintance and she certainly had not said anything about it.

Alec felt a wave of annoyance rise inside him and all sort of questions surged in his mind. How did they know each other? Obviously, being Max the head of their nation, everyone knew her; but she was a reserved person. She had a close circle of people around her and it was rare to see her socialize with anybody else. Yet, here she was, smiling non stop with this guy. That lead to another question. How close were they? Alec couldn't know for sure, but Max appeared to be fairly comfortable with Milo's presence.

Alec's primal side roared and demanded to go there to put as many space between Max and the man as he could. However, the rational part of his brain reminded him it wasn't any of his business and that's what bothered him. He wanted it to be his business. But he remained still, anchored to the floor he stepped on with a frown on his face. He had no right to barge into the conversation. Besides, that would be a fantastic method to get smacked over the head.

However, when Milo's hand rested on Max's shoulder, his legs started moving by their own. An intense feeling flooded him, something really akin to jealousy and soon enough he was at her side, staring at the man hard. He hadn't meant to indulge his insticts and interrupt but he found himself overly pleased to have done so.

"What're you up to, Maxie?" he said with a smirk, trying to appear calm. "Hey, man," Alec spoke in neutral voice despite his unfriendly thoughts towards the male transgenic.

He couldn't help to notice her smile faltering and it hurt to see himself as the cause of it. Alec cleared his throat, attempting to make the knot in there dissapear.

"Are these for tonight's raid of yours?" he asked Max and her gaze dropped to the blueprints in front of her.

"Yeah, I was just showing them to Milo," she answered almost dryly.

Alec was starting to get concerned. Had he done something to upset her? He felt the urge to question her about her behaviour but then again, Command was packed with people, so perhaps it wasn't the time nor the place.

"Things've been quiet around TC and the ladies could use some back up," Milo cut in with a grin, giving to understand that he was part of Max's team. Maybe he didn't mean anything by it, but for Alec it was like a punch in the gut.

Lovely, really. As if her cold shoulder wasn't enough, this guy came along and reminded him the very thing that had nagged him constantly for the past days. So Max out of the blue trusted Milo with her life? She barely knew the guy... He kept waiting for Mole to come out from behind a corner and tell him this was a bad joke. Alec felt himself drown in irrational anger. Apparently, this Milo-dude was good enough for the job, unlike him. _So be it_. He'd never been the puppy-seeking-love type and he wasn't planning on starting now.

"You've got all covered," Alec said, a touch of sarcasm seeping through his hard voice and Max frowned, staring at him, unsure if he was talking to her or not. Milo was mostly unaware, for his expression didn't change. "See you at home, Maxie."

Alec sensed her gaze on him as he approached at his team and kept working on the final details of his mission with them. He didn't look back.

He thought that doing the raid might help him to take his mind off things, but he was wrong. Max kept invading his mind and he couldn't help wondering how was she doing, if she was all right or if her team had encountered any trouble. Having his head somewhere else almost made him and his people get caught. Luckily, AJ and Krit took care of the guard Alec hadn't noticed. After that, Alec forced himself to focus and save the minor bump, the job went perfect; which is why by dawn they were back at TC unloading the vans into the sewers.

Alec walked home, hands in his jacket pockets. The wind was cold and he smelt like something had died in his clothes, therefore a hot shower was in his near future.

The apartment was dark and silent. He wanted to see Max, so once and for all he could ask her what was going on; maybe even drop a hint of how annoying he found Milo. Her attitude was making him awkward to unsuspected levels and Milo's sudden appearance in the scene caused him a certain uneasiness... He wasn't sure he could put it in words, he just knew Max and Milo closeness felt _wrong_.

After a swift breakfast, he searched for the brunette without luck. Max was nowhere in sight. Dix informed him her team had made it back safe and sound, but he didn't know where their leader was either. She'd vanished into thin air. He tried her cellphone but it went straight to voicemail. Around noon, Alec returned to their home, vainly hoping she would be there by now. Again, the empty house greeted him. He sank into the couch, falling into a fitful, uneasy sleep.

He woke up suddenly, startled. The watch on the wall told him he'd slept for almost four hours. Forcing his eyes to focus, he stared at the blanket that was currently on him, the very same he hadn't covered himself with. He took a deep breath and he could smell her scent lingering in the air, too subtle for a ordinary person to notice, but not for him. Feeling betrayed by his own senses, he realised Max had been there and he hadn't woken up.

Without a second thought, he grabbed his jacket and rushed to Command. That was it. The squirming over Max's odd behaviour around him was ending that very minute. Plus, his head was skrewing with him again. He couldn't stop thinking about Max's uncanny choice of including Milo in her team and as ridiculous it might sound, he felt almost betrayed. Why was that picture so wrong for him? Why did he feel threatened by the transgenic?

_You know why..._

Max was important to him, which was probably an understatement. Her friendship meant a lot and she was the person who knew him the most —even the bad stuff— and somehow, she was still there. He'd grown accustumed to her being part of his life to the point of missing her when their duties kept them apart —he was _so_ not admitting that out loud... More than that, he _needed_ Max.

And when the sudden —fully-loaded-mack-truck kind of sudden— realisation hit, he felt the urge to hyperventilate. He told himself to get a grip, it was not that big of a deal.

_Yeah, right._

He snorted to his own denial abilities. He had to man up, face the facts and admit he wanted her to be _his_. The thought was a bit selfish itself —not to mention disturbing for his own peace of mind—, but he couldn't help it. There it was, the truth; the illtimed and disastrous truth. He closed his eyes. Hook, line and sinker, he had fallen for her.

_Awesome. Always going for the ones you can't have._

Alec absently passed through the people in HQ and entered Max's office without bothering on knocking the door. She was talking on the phone and her eyes shot up when he walked in. He held her stare keeping his mouth shut, most likely due to his mind being way too occupied with his newest epiphany.

"Yes, that's actually a fair proposal; still, I'd have to discuss it with my people. I believe some of them would agree with those terms, but certainly not everyone will."

Max paused to hear what the person on the othe side on the line had to say. Her eyes left Alec, for his expression unnerved her. There was something wild in the hazel that made her look away. She kept herself busy toying with a pen and a piece of paper even though his presence was almost overwhelming. His scent filled the room, re-routing her train of thought to places she didn't want to go. Max could sense his distraught, but she couldn't handle it —or was it _him_?—, much less now.

"I understand perfectly, Senator. The Government wants to see its investment pay off. Then again, we are more than just years of research and development. We are human beings, despite what most of the population thinks. We do not ask for anything outrageus. We just want what anyone who's born in this country wants. To be acknowledged as american citizens, with the benefits and obligations it carries."

Alec's attention on Max's conversation spiked up, raising his eyebrows. She scrambled a note and gave it to him.

_Go get Mole._

He looked at her, reluctant to her dismissal, but she mouthed a 'please'. He sighed and did as she asked.

When Alec came back with Mole and his inseparable shotgun, Max'd already ended the call. She got up from her chair, taking a hand to cover her eyes and rubbed her forehead for a second. She looked exhausted.

"Okay," she started, letting out a big breath. "I just got off the phone with Senator Hawkins, our new liason. Long story short, we now negotiate with the Federal Government and the Congress will be meeting to discuss our situation," she explained while pacing.

"And that means?" Mole asked, holding his cigar between his fingers, his eyes sharply narrowed.

"I'm not so sure yet. Anyway, they do seem to have a rush to settle the deal," she commented, leaning on her desk. Clearly, her mind raced a thousand miles per hour, trying to figure it out.

"What's their propose?" Alec's question made her look at him intensely and she smiled softly. His forwardness was one of the things she really liked about him, yet sometimes, she hated him for it.

"Well, it's all at preliminar stages, but for what Hawkins told me, the Government wants to reinstate us to our military duties." She held her hand up when she saw both of the men in front of her getting ready to protest. "Of course, I had a thing or two to say about that. I explained we first want citizenship and not a single one of us is returning to the life we had before. So, if the opportunity of being part of the Army, Marines or whatever came, only those who agree in free will would do it, expecting to be a remunerated job, according to a citizen's rights."

As the words she spoke sank in, Alec's grin grew wider.

Mole though still seemed reticent. "You think the apes behind the desks will go for it?" he asked.

Alec shrugged. "It narrows down to that or nuke us sky high."

Max rolled her eyes. "Elections are coming, they can't afford to have a mess to spoil their campaigns. Luke has been doing some research on the papers, nation wide. The word out there is changing to our favour. After a year hooled up in here, apparently some people are realising we're not cold blooded killers or animals meant to live in a cage, or they kind of forgotten about us," she acknowledged with a shrug. "Like it or not, we're a minority and minorities have the decisive vote."

"These people aren't fools. They know we'd be a great asset to have in their pockets. Plus, if we get citizenship it'll be a lot harder for White to get a hold of us," Alec commented, milling the implications.

"Let's hope that sneaky bastard stays missing," Mole grunted, puffing his cigar.

"So, we'll keep this between us, for the moment at least. None of 'em are facts, just possibilities. Agree?" Max said in a firm voice. Alec and Mole nodded.

"Well, I'd love to stay and chat over tea, but I've stuff to do," Mole announced unceremoniously. After eyeing carefully both X5's, he turned and left.

The mere instant the door closed, Max felt the air grow thicker in the small office and tried to get herself occupied with something. She didn't like at all the look Alec was giving her —again—, as if he was studying her. Maybe if she ignored him long enough he'd take the cue and leave? Long shot, that one was.

To be honest with herself, she didn't quite understand why she had the need to avoid him. Her head was a big mess of mixed thoughts and feelings she couldn't hope to catalogue or even order. She was utterly confused when it came to Alec. Living with him had only made it worse. She'd caught herself staring at him more and more often, as if he held some sort of answer to her predicament.

After the definitive break up with Logan, Alec'd been there all the time and that freaked her out, not for the behaviour itself, but because her reaction to it. Max could see herself falling for Alec's caring side and she didn't want to. So, when she came into panic mode, she did what knew best: run away. She tried to modify her schedules as a way to scape him, but he always seemed to find a way to get to her. She kept their conversations short and professional; even feeling relief when they fought and he stormed out of the place. That's why she'd refused to take him to her raid and Milo'd appeared to be eager to see some action, so she took him instead.

At the same time, she felt drawn to Alec and trying to get him out of her mind was becoming an usual practise, often futile. Oh yeah, her head was fucked up, all right.

Her hands were shuffling through her papers covered desk when his voice made her stop.

"I wanna know what's wrong."

No small talk, no wiggling around. He was pissed or getting there, she could tell.

"What do you mean?" Max asked, still staring the folders in her hands. She hated to be purposefully dense, but extreme measures were sometimes necessary.

"Playing dumb doesn't really suits you, Max," he said seriously, approaching to her.

Her levels of discomfort skyrocketed and she did her best to conceal it. Max couldn't even begin to put in words how much she did _not_ want to have this conversation. "Look, I've been really busy lately, still am. That's it."

"No, it's not," Alec claimed, entirely sure of himself.

He reached her spot, leaning against the desk. She kept pretending to be looking at the most interesting papers in the world and refused to dignify his assertion with a retort. Suddenly, she heard him chuckle which rised her hackles enormously. She lifted her face to him and saw him shaking his head in amusement.

"Play your game all you want, Max... I'll play mine."

Alec gave her a bright, charming smile. Then, effortlessly shifted his possition and walked out her office with that grace of his, leaving Max wondering what exactly did he mean by that.

For weeks, that conversation rang in Max's ears; especially after she realised Alec was bound to make her life an excruciating hell. She tried to shake the man off as much as she could, hard task considering their living arrangement.

Max had to give it to him, he was persistent and fully determined to provoke her a death by melting. She'd never shared her home with a man before, but she suspected that in normal conditions she wouldn't have to see that much of bare skin. Alec grew accostumed to leave the bathroom after his showers carrying only that damned blue towel. The amount of suggestive innuendos had at least tripled and 'blushed' was her most worn outfit. But the worst of it were the looks. _Holy baby Jesus..._ Those heated gazes she tried so hard to ignore could set her on fire and most oftenly did.

His attitude towards her wasn't the most complicated issue though. What scared her the most was her reaction to him, because no matter how much she tried, he seemed to have rented a permanent space in her thoughts and was there to stay. So when she was called to Washington to testify in behalf of their cause, she saw there her opening; she could use that time and space to set her mind straight. Max assured herself that if she got physically away, his unwanted and constant presence in the back of her head would dissapear. Of course, Alec said he'd go with her, but thankfully, she'd thought that much ahead and came up with an excellent excuse for saying no. TC needed a leader and being SIC he couldn't just go, especially when the CO was absent. Max could swear she'd heard Alec's teeth grind when he read the preliminary list of people who'd escort her and saw Milo's name. Milo's previous experience in covert-ops and the fact he'd specialized in targets' protection didn't seem to care at all to Alec. He'd found a hitch in every single mission Milo'd done and didn't let the subject rest until Max said she would take Zane instead.

The trip went mostly well. There'd been quite a few protesters waiting for them and a lot of the politicians eyed her as if in any minute she could turn into a murderous animal. Still, Senator Hawkins had honoured their signed agreement and they returned unscathed to TC a few days later. She'd explained their point of view and hoped they would be able to convince the Congress they weren't asking for anything extraordinary. However, she couldn't accomplish her secondary mission. More than once during those days in DC she'd wanted to be back at Terminal City. Max'd told herself she was merely feeling homesick and that's why she longed to be in Seattle; but when she emerged from the Northeast entrance and saw him waiting there with his faded leather jacket and lopsided smile, that annoying and truthful voice in her mind said she was kidding no one.

A couple of very busy months went by and Terminal City's denizens worked their asses off to move their case forward. Most of them'd been keen to offer records, testimonies and whatever Senator Hawkins asked to support the statement and evidence Max'd presented during her stay in DC.

Max invested every minute she could spare from their usual problems and she did it gladly, knowing this was a real chance to get results. She'd expected all the extra work would distract her from her growing interest in Alec, but soon she realised that wouldn't be the case, for Alec was working as hard as she was and coordination between them was necesary for most decisions. Being so busy meant almost every night she didn't get to go home at all, but neither did he. Her office became _their_ office, her couch _his. _She felt grateful for her shark DNA because sleeping every three or four nights meant she could get a lot of job done in that time and _not_ because that way he didn't get to haunt her dreams that often; and _certainly_ _not_ because she enjoyed losing herself in watching him rest when he was too tired to keep up.

"You got the X8's folders?"

Alec's voice startled her and he smirked, pleased to see her flinch because yet again, he'd caught her spacing out. She scowled.

"I'm possitive daltonism isn't one of your issues and since we all have eidetic memory, what colour did we agree we'd use for X8's?" she asked in fake sweetness, reckoning he deserved as much sarcasm as she could throw 'cause... well, because he was just too much of a smart-aleck for his own good. Besides, she felt in need for a payback since he kept taking like ninety percent of her concentration, even considering all of that happened in her mind.

Alec followed her lead knowing that would only rile her up even more. "Green." His smirk widened, taunting her.

Max held up the pile of folders she had nearby. "And these are?"

"Blue."

She got up, heading to the other side of the room where bookshelf was. She retrieved the folders he needed and handed back to him, the saccharin smile still on her face. "That wasn't so hard, was it?" and for more effect she patted him on the head.

"Aw, thanks Maxie. I don't know what I'd do without you," he mocked, although his sarcasm got diluted by a yawn. He stood up and stretched, his shirt riding up and Max's eyes diverted _there_, to that inviting view of skin and lean muscle.

_Stop it_, she chastised, making herself look away. And it was hot in there all over again, no matter it was three AM and they were just stepping out of the winter.

"You should go home, Alec. Get some sleep." Max took special care in saying home, because if he decided to crash there, the remaining ten percent of her focus would dissapear.

"And deprive you of the awesomeness of my company?" he said with a very cheap imitation of shock. She rolled her eyes. "Nah... Don't think you could handle a night without me." His voice and expression were playful but definitely there also was a certainty underneath the words which made Max wonder and fear that she might not be so good at concealing her thoughts.

"Whatever," she snapped. "You promised like an hour ago you'd get coffee," Max reminded him, trying to find an exit to the charged moment.

"Yeah, yeah..." he dismissed her with a gesture and started walking. Halfway through the door he turned, his face sheer sufficiency. "Just so you know, I'm goin' 'cause I want to, not 'cause you told me to," he announced and dissapeared from sight.

She chuckled to the expression, because she actually knew he wasn't that full of himself, he just pretended to be.

His voice reverberated in the empty hallway and reached her ears. "_One of these days you're gonna have to admit you like havin' me around, Maxie..._"

The assertion felt so rough, yet unfeigned and real. It wasn't Alec pretending to be the center of the universe, she realised. It was just him, stating a fact. Something he already knew and she refused to see.

If being sincere was absolutely necessary, she ought to admit those all-nighters they pulled together affected her deeply. The glances that lasted a second longer, the casual touch which lingered more than usual... The moment she stepped into a place where he was, Max couldn't help being aware of him, always being able to point his pressence in the room, no matter how many people were there. Everything with Alec felt different somehow and she couldn't manage to stop over-analyzing it, which was driving her to madness, fast. Perhaps it was time to own up to the circumstances, to at least be honest with herself. If he was already deep-seated in her life, she didn't know what to call the place where they were now. As afraid as Max might be to acknowledge it, she couldn't deny there was a certain _want_ hidden just under her surface, but that didn't mean she would've to actually say anything about it; much less, act upon it. No matter how hard was getting to appear immune and nonchalant, she wouldn't risk their friendship just because she suddenly felt attracted to him. Therefore, she opted for the stalemate.

Alec, on the other hand, had his own ideas.

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><p>More soon! Stay awesome!<p> 


	5. Chapter 5

Hey, everyone!

I know it hasn't been so long since the last chapter, but for me it's been like ages. This one was a real challenge to put together. But, hey, I enjoyed writing it as much as the previous ones.

As always, it's awesome to hear from you guys, every single comment is much appreciated; and also, I'd like to respond to the guest reviews, so indulge me for a moment.

Annushka: Thanks again for your support. Number five is already here, and I hope you enjoy it even more than the last one!

Renskallius: Welcome! I don't expect to win Pulitzers any time soon, since this is my hobbie and all, but I'm really flattered by your words. I do put an interesting amount of time into this, mostly because it's never been my style to publish something half-baked and as a reader myself, I know very well you guys can tell if there's effort or not, and when there isn't is a complete downer. So, I do my best with the characters, the descriptions and of course, the language (even though I check like a million times before posting, some typos still manage to slip away).  
>I never thought my cliffhangers were so dramatic; in fact, I've always considered them a bit soft. But if you say different, by all means, I'll happily take your word for it.<p>

So thank you, all of you, for reading and reviewing! Enjoy!

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><p><strong>Hella Good<strong>

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><p><em>A performance deserving of standing ovations<br>And who would have thought it'd be the two of us?  
>So don't wake me if I'm dreaming<br>'Cause I'm in the mood come on and give it up _

_Hella Good – No Doubt_

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><p>"I come in peace."<p>

Max dropped the wrench she was holding and looked up. Zane and his boyish smile stood by the doorframe, hands up in some sort of surrender. She stared at him not being able to harden her gaze even though she wanted to, so she opted for returning to her work without a word. I'd been ages since she'd dedicated time to her baby and considering she needed to focus in something else —otherwise, the hurt would win the battle—, the moment seemed perfect.

She heard him sigh and approach to her spot, noticing he was carrying a heavy tool box and a small bag of pretzels. He sat by her side and opened the bag, or the noise told her that much. She kept staring ahead, her hands occupied with the pieces of her dismantled Ninja's engine. Her mind, though, was far away, between what she imagined would be farm and the reminiscence of a forest. She thought about Jace's callous words, Jondy's dissapointed look and Max felt the knot in her throat grow.

Dinner at Syl and Krit's apartment had sounded awesome and Max'd been looking forward to it. Just them, hangin' out and chatting; she could use that. TC's needs were very often overwhelming and the extra work she was putting on lately was taking it's toll. And it'd been great, at least until Jace brought up Zack's name. Max knew her siblings weren't idiots and they were curious about the fate of their once CO and eldest brother.

Syl'd started the story, and her distraught was visible when she spoke about their failed mission, how she and Krit left Manticore's woods believing they'd lost both Max and Zack. At that point, Max was absolutely ready to bolt. The memories were too painful and if she couldn't forgive herself for most of the things she'd done, was it more than wishful thinking to expect her siblings forgave her? Probably not. Still, one thing was clear in Max's mind. They had the right to know the truth. It hadn't been an easy feat, but gathering as much courage as she could, she fill the gaps in Syl's tale.

_"So you just sent him away."_

Jace'd spat out, contempt flooding her face.

And how could Max possibly answer that other than 'yes'; because that's exactly what she'd done. Zack'd been completely out of his mind, his reality distorted and rage getting out of control. Max hadn't known what else to do. She'd listened Logan and even though there was more to the picture than met the eye, she didn't know how to put it in words. Max was unable to explain her despair; the helpless feeling of seeing Zack, her always so strong, almost almighty big brother reduced to a mindless machine driven by instinct and duty. That's why she'd listened Logan's reasons, because in the face of her inability to manage the situation, Logan's option was better than nothing. She'd been weak and that was the truth.

But when Max heard Jondy's shy voice ask if she knew anything about Ben... That's when her heart constricted and her eyes welled in tears.

Max's nightmares didn't even come close to the dread that question rose. She lowered her head, because she couldn't stand to see another gaze full of hatred. Not a single person other than Alec knew about Ben and there were many reasons for it. Ben's death was the darkest moment of her life, the thing she felt most ashamed of. Ben represented her biggest failure as a sister, as a person. There was so much she could have done, so many options she could have taken. But she didn't. She'd replayed the situation in her mind countless times... She could have run away with him and kept a close eye on him; but she loathed the posibility of leaving Seattle, her life, her friends, _Logan_. Instead, she'd confronted her deranged brother, hoping he'd see reason. Something inside her laughed at her naïveté yet again.

Max'd finally spoken, each single word forcing her to see the memories once more. Her fingers burned with the remembrance of the touch of his barcode, her ears deafened by that loud, quick snap...

And when she was done talking, she just got up and left. She didn't dare to look back, afraid of what she might find.

"Want one?"

Zane's voice dragged her out of her thoughts. Max haphazardly wiped her hands on her already dirty jeans and took the offering, keeping the pretzel in her palm. She couldn't swallow anyway.

"Max..."

"Don't. Please, just... Don't..."

As Zane'd heard his sister's words after their dinner, questions and doubts had risen in his mind. However, it'd only taken one look to see the hurt, the raw pain in Max eyes. Her expression hadn't been resentful but merely resigned, like she was just accepting a well deserved punishment. She was too wounded to fight back. That _defeat_ in her made him reconsider his initial thoughts. Unfortunately, he hadn't reacted on time to stop Max from leaving, none of them had. They'd been in shock, each one too deep in thought to do something. By the time the stupor cleared a bit, Max was long gone, the air still stale with silence in Syl's living room.

Deep down, he'd known something like this would happen, that Max would lock herself up, just like she'd been doing since her childhood. He hoped she wouldn't, that some how by now she knew better, but... Old habits die hard, he supposed.

Alec'd approached to him the next morning while he was futilely trying to find his sister, and with a stony expression and equally hard voice, had asked him what'd happened between them and Max. Zane'd been prepared to snarl a 'it's none of your bussiness', but the other man levelled him with a fierce gaze. _You better fix it_, Alec'd said and Zane'd only nodded, his face as serious as Alec's.

Now that he'd found her —he made a mental note to thank that X6, Dalton, for the heads up on Max's twenty—, he was going to come correct with her.

Zane held her by the shoulders and made her look at him. "Listen, kid, 'cause I'm only gonna say this once. You gotta stop blaiming yourself." Max looked down, shaking her head, but he kept speaking. "You think you're the only one who's taken hard choices? C'mon, Max... Everyone has things in their past they're not proud of, myself included."

Max stared at him, knowing he was right, still the guilt was so powerful and heavy it nearly paralysed her. "I've handled..." she choked, trying to find the correct words. "I managed, you know?" She was looking ahead, but it was obvious her mind was far away. "I said to myself it had to be done and kept goin', but seeing your faces the other night, hearing Jace's tone of voice..." She shook her head, trying to escape the memories. "It matters. What you guys think matters to me; and they were your brothers too. I-" she sighed loudly, wondering why was so hard to let it out. "It just hurts too much."

"I know. And yes, they were our brothers but we weren't _there_, Max. So in the end, is everybody's fault. Hell, it's even Zack's 'cause he was the one who insisted in keeping us apart."

"I could've-" she started but he interrupted.

"Really? Be honest with me, Max. How much of a choice did you have?" His rhetorical question didn't make her mind stop racing and he could see it so he tried to mend his idea. "Look, Max. I'm not gonna try to convince you either way, if it was right or wrong. All I'm sayin' is there's not a single person in position to judge you, 'cause we weren't there. I don't know what I would've done, nobody does. You gave Zack a fresh start somewhere and you stopped Manticore from getting to Ben, just like he asked. Sounds to me it could've ended a lot worse in both cases."

She didn't realise she was crying until Zane hugged her tightly and she clung to him as a lifeline, fearing the pain might broke her for good, but at the same time, relieved to have him there because that meant she wasn't alone.

"Jace'll come around, you'll see. She's just hurting like the rest of us and the stick Manticore shove up her ass keeps her from actin' normal," Zane said and Max smiled sadly.

"Hope you're right."

Max dried her tears, forgetting her hands were completely filthy, making a mess on her face. Zane chuckled to the sight and to answer her questioning look, he handed her a piece of metal so she could see her reflection. Max grimaced.

"Now, let me see that." He pointed to a part of the engine. They sank in the task of putting Max's beloved bike back into condition and again, she felt incredibly grateful for having her family with her.

Meanwhile, just outside that room, tears run through Jace's face after listening the whole conversation, still feeling ambivalent. The truth hurt, but she couldn't help thinking she'd been unfair with Max.

As more and more time went by, Jace felt worse for all the things she'd said to her sister. She'd been so mad, angry, the feeling of betrayal had been overwhelming and she'd just opened her big mouth and spoken without a second thought. Now, all she could think about was the look in Max's face, how broken she'd seemed and how ashamed she was to be the cause of it. For days, she wondered how exactly she could approach to Max and at least, try to apologize. Gem and Syl gave her the perfect excuse.

Spending a lot of time in TC's nursery had become strangely natural to Jace, and almost without realising, she'd forged a friendship with Gem. Eve's mother was in charge of the place, mostly because she'd been the first of the X5's to give birth. The rest of the soon-to-be mothers reckoned that was sufficient to represent them all. When the birth rate increased and the babies in TC multiplied, it became clear they would need a place for the females to keep their little ones occupied. For starters, being a mother was indeed time consuming, and most of them already had an assigned job. It was way more efficient to have a few of them taking care of the kids at the time, rotating shifts between that and their other duties.

One afternoon, Syl'd come by with an idea in mind. The X8's were still very young, they had a lot to learn. Some X5's had arranged a few classes for them during the week, but it was nothing formal, much less, organised. So Syl, who'd worked as a teacher for some time, explained to Jace and Gem her concern about the education of the younger series. They quickly put together a small project for a 'school', wich would actually be a makeshift classroom adjacent to the nursery for the time being, and they were going to talk about it with Max.

Then, that dinner happened and the things between the siblings were weird, to put it midly. Zane'd broken the ice and had his bonding time with Max while they greased their hands with motor oil. Syl, true to her forwardness, wasted no time and she'd settled the matter with the brunette as soon as she could find her. She'd dragged Krit along even though he repeatedly said he didn't hold anything against Max because of the subject. They'd both apologised and eventually, they went back to normal. Even Jondy, despite her shame and embarrassment, had taken the cue and beated Jace to it, muttering her sorrow to her sister for her lack of tact.

The matter was starting to get heavy on Jace's shoulders. That's when Syl suggested Jace could go to present their little project to Max, as a way to start the conversation and ultimately, she would have her chance to say 'sorry'. Gem said she had no problem with Jace being the one to take this to their leader, so she had her opening right there. The thing was, despite of her years in the outside, nearly three by now, she wasn't comfortable with speaking about feelings. To Jace it was dreadful thing to do. Give her guns, missions; hell, even diapers and she was ready to go... But she considered herself as a complete obtuse when it came to this. However, it wasn't a choice anymore, it was something she had to do.

Jace respectfully knocked the door and awaited. She heard Max voice allowing her entrance and she took the plunge. To say Max appeared shocked to see her was an understatement, which didn't surpised Jace, because she'd been avoiding her. Max's features hardened slightly and Jace thought she didn't deserve less after all she'd said. Jace sat down and explained Max about their project, the objectives they expected to achieve, the materials they would require and so forth.

Max, for her part, listened intently while she considered the idea in her mind. It wasn't a bad plan at all, in fact, she'd been thinking about it for quite some time, but with everyone working twenty four-seven in their possible citizenship, she couldn't spare the time nor the people to do it right now. Jace offered a way out to that problem, since the mothers could take care of the preliminar stages just fine while being in the nursery.

Max dwelt on it for a moment and nodded. "Go for it. Give the wishlist to Luke, he'll take care of it. If you guys need something we don't have right now, he'll include it in the next raid. It might take a couple of weeks, though. Everybody is really busy and we're trying to stay under the radar," she said, her voice neutral and expression collected, and then proceeded to open the millionth folder of the day. She noticed, though, Jace wasn't moving and she could feel her stare on her. "Something else you need?" Max hadn't meant to sound harsh, but it came out like that nonetheless.

Jace almost cringed to her tone of voice. Almost. She was still a soldier and she could take it. "Yes, actually. I want to talk to you about the last time we saw each other."

Max immediatelly tensed. _Zack. Ben._ That was the topic Jace was intending to bring up. "Look, Jace. I already told you everything. I get you're pissed with me, but I don't wanna talk about it." Max stood up, reaching for some files she didn't need as a way to keep her discomfort hidden.

Jace stood up as well, reaching for her sister. _Here goes nothing._ "I'm sorry," she blurted out, hoping the unwanted tears she was starting to feel in her eyes remained there.

Her sister's unexpected words took Max by surprise and she didn't know what to do. Jace seemed so fragile all over sudden and she could only manage to put her hand over Jace's shoulder.

"I'm not pissed with you, never was," Jace explained. "Zack meant so much to me... When you told us what happened, I was mad, not with you, but with myself; because he needed someone and I wasn't here to help. I was too busy living my life in Mexico..." A single tear ran through her cheek.

"Hey, stop that. You have your son to take care of and Zack had me," Max started and then, she ammended. "I didn't do that much of a great job, but he wasn't alone; and for what it's worth, when he left the hospital, he seemed calm, happy even," she finished, remembering his brother smile.

That knowledge appear to settle some of the turmoil inside Jace and she nodded, awkwardly drying her eyes. "I'm sorry I took it out on you and I'm sorry I didn't tell you this sooner. I know it's a weight on your shoulders you wish you didn't have."

Max shrugged. "Yeah, but it is what it is."

Jace wanted to ask if they were okay, if this had made any difference. But she looked into Max's eyes, so similiar to hers, and she knew it had. And if they weren't okay today, someday they will be.

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><p>Max knew for better or for worse she would remember June 26th, and not because of the incredibly hot temperatures, but because the news their liason'd dropped at the end of May. That'll be the day the Congress was going to meet to definitely sort out the future of the transgenic community. They had negotiated their terms and the Senate'd approved them in a private vote. If both Chambers agreed, the President most likely would follow their lead. So, the transgenic's future lay in the House's hands.<p>

The moods in Command were agitated when the D-Day finally came. The sesion was going to be broadcasted nation wide at five o'clock. Luke and Dix had set a huge screen in the Mess Hall, formerly owned by some wealthy mob kingpin.

Zane'd been in her office with her almost all day, helping her. They faced the task of destroying hard copies of everything in case things didn't go as expected and they had to leave in a hurry. Krit'd stopped by too, but only lingered for a few minutes, claiming to be too hot in there. And it was, it really was. Max'd tied up her hair hours ago, considering the posibility of cutting it short; she'd ask OC to do it next time she saw her. Summers in Seattle weren't usually this warm and without airconditioning it was hard not to bolt from there, but it was a job that had to be done. The perimeter patrol guys who were standing under the charring sun had it worse, she supposed. And where did all of that paper had come from anyway?! Seriously, they'd have to plant something akin to the Amazonian rainforest to compensate for so many dead trees. Around four, Zane announced his dire need for a shower, promising to come back to pick her up before the broadcast.

"I'm a big girl, Zane... I think I can manage to go on my own," she said, rolling her eyes.

"Sure you do, tough cookie." Max made a face to the nickname and he laughed. "See you there then," he waved and dissapeared through the door.

Five minutes short to the starting, Max was still in her office. She could hear the voices of the trangenics leaving HQ while she was, thankfully, sorting out through the last of the papers.

"It's almost time, Maxie. C'mon."

Alec's voice startled her, making her almost drop the sheets she was holding. He was leaning against the door frame, his arms crossed over his chest, sporting one of those grins of his. He had his favourite worn out jeans on and that black v-neck shirt that hinted all the right angles. _Crap_. She tore her eyes away but the damage was done.

Max cleared her throat while she tried to push aside a few mental pictures involving the more-than-fine man in front of her.

"You go, I'll be there in a minute," she said, feeling her cheeks fire up.

Alec drew closer, taking the papers from her hands, his fingers brushing hers and she gasped slightly. His right hand rose, softly cuping her chin and lifting her face to his. As their eyes locked, her heart rate picked up. Her skin felt electrified by his touch and a shiver run through her spine. He was impossibly close, mere inches away for their mouths to meet. He kept narrowing the distance between them, while slowly caressing the lines of her neck. In that last moment, he shifted his aim, his lips gently pressing against her ear. Her eyelids fell and her lips parted.

"Now, Max..." he whispered and as she felt his breath dance on her skin, her own got caught in her lungs.

Alec could hear both of their hearts pounding hard, pumping blood frantically. Max was like a droug to him, constantly wanting more of her and he was pretty sure he could never get enough.

Alec took a step back and she opened her eyes, seeing his extended hand awaiting for hers. Max closed her fingers around his, feeling numb and oblivious to all except him. A powerful haze ruled her mind and she couldn't think about anything but the sensations he arose in her, how every fibre in her being seemed to respond to him and only him. So naturally, when she realized they somehow had arrived to the Mess, she felt the panic flood her. She couldn't let herself loose like that. She just couldn't. Max shook off Alec's hand, fixing her stare to the ground instead in the hurt on his face.

The sesion began and almost every politician present took the time to make a disertation on the matter at hand. After a couple of hours, the transgenics were getting restless. Max shifted her weight from one foot to the other non stop. Her siblings were nearby. Jace was standing next to Gem, both of them gently rocking their children while they chatted in a low voice. Krit was behind Syl, hugging her tightly, his eyes steady on the screen. Jondy and Zane were speaking with Joshua, stealing glances of the broadcasting from time to time.

Alec was at her left, his hands in his jeans pockets, staring straight ahead.

The air was getting too loaded for her liking and not just for the amount of people there, but because her mind kept racing towards Alec, when the Speaker announced the voting was commencing. The murmurs stopped instantly and everyone seemed to be holding their breaths. You could almost hear the tension hum in the Mess.

The flashes of the cameras sparkled incessantly in the Congress room. The Speaker asked to those against the motion to please raise their hands. A fairly important portion of them shot their arms up and Max's head shook in denial and incredulity. Those ungrateful, petty bastards. How many of them had died protecting their country and its interests... Some sort of retribution was that much to ask? Being aknowledged as human beings was that far fetched? Bitterness run through her but she forced herself to look at the screen.

The Speaker talked again, this time asking for the votes in favour.

There were endless minutes while they accounted for the abstentions and made the maths.

Finally, the announcement was spoken. Max closed her eyes.

_"Please, be duly noted that on the twenty-sixth day of the sixth month of the year twenty twenty three, the bill known to the public as the 'Transgenic Law' has been approved by partial majority..."_

The Speaker kept going with the official declarations the burocracy claimed for, but Max tuned him out. A smile grew wider and wider on her face as a rebel tear scaped her right eye. She turned to her left, to Alec, finding his bright grin and his hazel eyes glistening as hers. They hugged each other as tight as they could, clinging to the other's body as if their lives depended on it, while screams of victory and joy exploded around them. They both started to laugh uncontrollably, their reticent minds not fully able to grasp the concept of real freedom.

"We're free, Maxie... We _are_ free..." Alec whispered to her ear and she grasped him tighter. She hadn't realized up to that moment that he was holding her in the air.

After that, all became a blur. Her siblings hugged her, shook her and Joshua almost snapped one or two of her ribs. Cheers on her name were heard and Max said in a tremolous voice this wasn't her making, but everyone's. Her phone rang again and again, first Cindy, then Sketchy. She even got a call from Asha and a very short and shy one from Logan. Senator Hawkins called as well, congratulating them and promesing to start working on the details first thing on Monday morning.

People started to organize a community dinner in the Mess to celebrate the amazing news. Helicopters from TV networks flew over their rundown city trying to get a glimpse of them.

She suddenly felt overwhelmed by all of it, fleeing to her high place just as Ben'd taught her to do, in attempt to calm herself down. Spring was gone but for them was just getting started. There was so much work, so many options and promises ahead that the thought made her dizzy. She breathed deeply while she watched their flag wave softly in the evening breeze, coming to the realization that if she wanted, she could pick up her Ninja and drive freely wherever she wanted; just her, the road and the purr of the engine. Then again, she'd fought for belonging here, this was her rightful place and now everyone out there had to respect that. This was her _home_.

Alec got only a few looks of Max from afar through dinner. Everyone seemed eager to talk to him and express gratitude, yet all he could think about was her. If any of this madness was possible, it was because of Max. Her blind faith in her people and her fierce desire to make a stand had lead them all to this point.

If he hadn't loved her before this, he surely did now; and the urge to let it all out was unbearable. Alec knew she felt something for him, he could tell. Max wanted him. Her reactions towards him told him that much. However he couldn't help wonder if there was more than that. What if there wasn't? What if there was but Max, true to her bad habbits, refused to admit it?

He didn't think he could pull through a broken heart again. Rachel's death had been challenging for him to overcome and had almost destroyed him. Max meant so much to him. If he lost her... The thought itself was a ticket to places he'd prefer not to visit. He felt trapped in a crossroad with a couple of lousy options. Come clean to Max could royally skrew things up between them. In the other hand, he wasn't sure he could keep it in for much longer.

He made up his mind when saw Max talking to Milo shortly after the empty plates were removed from the tables and then leaving the Mess.

Alec caught up with her when she was entering their home. Max seemed to be deep in thought with her pursed lips and her eyebrows in a frown.

Max was shutting the door when Alec's hand pushed against it. Her face showed her surprise, she hadn't realised he was behind her.

They stared for a moment and then, she composed her expression while staring at anything but Alec, moving away for him to pass. She took off her jacket and tossed it on the couch, heading for the kitchen and searched the fridge's contents. Alec's gaze never abandoned her and she could feel it, roaming her back. She just wished things could be as they were before, when none of this awkward tension surrounded them, when the _want_ wasn't in the way.

Alec, for his part, didn't know what to say. For the first time in his life he felt out of words.

He'd always found a way to get the girl he wanted. Some sweet talk over here, a compliment over there and the deed was done. Then again, this situation was completely different. His conquests were mostly one night flings, women he would grow boring on the very next day. Women as plain as a wooden board, alluring at the beginning, but all of them cut out by the same sicssors. So what if he dissapointed them by not calling back? They'd already dissapointed him.

But this was Max, complex, impossibly hard to figure out and there was no template to consider in this case. His bitchy friend, the beautiful woman, their self instructed leader who had given them freedom and new purpose.

How exactly do you tell someone how much they mean to you? Especially, when you have zero experience on the matter and must try not to spook that someone.

Tricky stuff.

"Want one?" Max's voice drew him out of his thoughts. She was holding a beer up. He approached to the kitchen and nodded.

He took the the bottle she offered, leaning on the wall behind him. They sank in a new wave of thick silence and she sat on the counter, absently staring at the condensation on the cool glass.

"Milo asked me out," she blurted, still not looking at him, not being able to point why she'd said it. He let out a noise which apparently attempted to be a laugh.

"I'm not surprised," Alec said. He'd expected this. Milo had been Max's shadow for some time now, bringing her morning coffee or lunch to HQ, chatting her ears out and making puppy eyes to her as often as he could.

"I said yes," she confessed, finally locking her gaze with his. Max seemed nervous and he noticed it. She couldn't stop fidgeting with the bottle in her hands.

Alec knew first hand how complicated Max could be, but this was beyond that. Did she mean to hurt him or something? Was this some sort of twisted punishment for being such a pain in the ass? "Why're you telling me this?" He asked, frowning.

"'Cause you're my friend and... I, uhm..." Max expression suddenly changed, her features turning harder, as if she'd remembered something not so pleasant. "Just forget it, okay?"

Max let down her half finished beer and jumped from the counter, but Alec caught her by the arm. She looked at him fiercely. Who the hell did he think he was to grab her like this? She shook her arm off his grasp and crossed them over her chest.

Alec straightened and got closer to her, staring right into her eyes.

"You want my oppinion?"

His harsh voice reached her ears but she was too concentrated in his eyes and how dark they were when he got angry. A shiver went down her spine as she drowned in that wild and enticing part of him.

"I think it's a terrible idea. He's not right for you," he declared while his gaze dropped to her parted lips.

"You don't know him." She attempted to sound sure and firm, failing completely. Alec's closeness clouded her mind and all she could think about was how his scent and warmth wrapped her.

"But I know you."

His hand found the curve of her neck, his thumb caressing the line of her jaw.

Alec's voice was raspy and rough, yet tempting and Max's mind remembered that very afternoon when he'd cornered her in her office. The thought of those lips over her skin, his breath rising goosebumps made her blush. His touch nearly drove her crazy and she caught herself craving those lips on hers and all over as well, just like she'd done more than once during all those nights of work with him.

Maybe it was due to the euphoria of the day, or maybe she just was tired to pretend. For whichever reason, Max's hands flew to the sides of his face, her mouth crashing on Alec's, hard. He didn't waste any time and circled her waist with his left arm, drawing Max to him and closing the distance between their bodies. His fingers reached her barcode and she inhaled sharply. His tongue played with her lips, asking for entrance and she gladly obliged. The kiss deepened as Alec's grip thightened, making her moan to the contact. He was not letting her go. He'd lost count of the times he'd fantasized with this, Max being in his arms, kissing her as if there was no tomorrow.

Max sank in the sensations he was provoking in her, losing herself in them. It seemed forever since she'd wanted someone so bad. Maybe it was, because out of her heats she couldn't recall any occasion when a man turned on this wild passion inside her.

Somewhere deep in her mind, a little voice told her that perhaps this wasn't such a good idea, reminding her Alec was her friend, and if she had to be honest, his friendship was extremely important to her.

_You're gonna loose him. Stop mixing things._

Max took a step back, ending the kiss. Her heart was pounding against her ribs like a caged bird seeking to be free. She stared at him and couldn't help to think how inviting he looked with his hair mussed and dark green eyes full of desire. The man was sex on a stick and damn, he could kiss.

"Sorry... I shouldn't 've done that..." Max apologized, still panting. _God! Why him? Why couldn't I want someone else..._

Alec watched her bit her red, swollen lower lip, most likely wondering if this was right or wrong. Oh no, she was not getting away of this one... He came close again, interrupting her inner ranting, looking at her as a predator to it's prey and spoke in a low voice.

"No point in saying it if you don't mean it."

"I..." she cleared her throat and tried again. "I meant-"

Max couldn't finish her untruthful sentence because Alec's fingers were softly caressing her lips, as if he wanted to relief them from their previous punishment.

"Look me in the eyes and tell me you don't want me," he demanded in a whisper, holding her face gently. They were almost leaning against each other again, Max being trapped between the wall and Alec's hard body. "Tell me you don't want me, Max."

She opened her mouth, believing to be ready to deny it, but the words resfused to come out. She noticed the longing in his voice, the hope behind the desire and she couldn't lie to him, not tonight. Max's dark eyes locked on his as she licked her lips and that's all it took.

This time, Alec claimed her mouth first. She could feel the heat growing inside her, the want becoming the main focus in her mind, finally surging forward after all the restrain. Her hands crowled through his chest, down to the hem of his shirt. Sneaking her fingers against his feverish skin, she heard him growl. Max tugged his shirt up and they parted for a moment. Alec turned his attention to her neck as his hands did it's own scavenging. She moaned his name and arched her body against his in response.

Both of them had unleashed forces too strong to be stopped and neither of them seemed keen to do so. They explored each other's body with haste, unable to hold back. Alec got rid of Max's shirt and bra in a couple of swift moves and the contact of skin on skin nearly drove him mad.

In Max's mind, thoughts boiled, trying to measure the pros and cons of what they were doing, but with every touch, grasp and caress, her consciousness faded away leaving only wild sensations to take hold. Soon enough, she didn't care if it was right or if she was making the biggest mistake of her life. The urge to satiate that _want_ was overwhelming; so for once, Max let herself go.

She gently pushed Alec. He stared at her deeply and she knew that if she asked him to stop, he would. She didn't.

Max swayed past him heading to the bedroom. She looked back to him, her eyes hooded with lust just as his and asked.

"You coming?"

He smirked in that particular way of his and Max felt the anticipation surge in her chest. One second later he was holding her up, her legs automatically hooking around his hips and they were kissing desperately again.

They fell on the bed, their hands roaming everything in their path. The intensity of the moment was evident as they gasped each other's names begging for more. The remaining clothes soon dissapeared from ther bodies in that frenzied battle for completion. He surged in her while he kept his gaze locked in hers, the hazel from his stare almost absent, and in between the haze of pleasure she saw the raw emotion in Alec's eyes. She spoke his name, savouring the word with her full lips, almost pleading; for what, she didn't know.

Alec picked up the pace, going further, wanting more. The urge to bite, to _claim _her filled him and it took all his will not do so. Their moans became louder, that fiery passion growing recklessly, consuming them. The sight of Max reaching her climax was was more than he could bear, making him find his own.

Their breaths gradually evened and Max placed her head over his shoulder and her hand rested on his chest. Alec surrounded her with his arms, not daring to speak a single word. He needed to know so much, to tell her so much, yet he wanted the moment to last. That's why he tightened his embrace trying to make her understand, make her see he needed her there.

She remained silent as well, lost in thought. The idea of bailing crossed her mind, of course, but she couldn't find the strength nor the will to move. She felt warm in a way she hadn't for a very long time and that was enough reason to stay as the sound of his steady, strong heart lulled her to sleep.

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><p><em>AN: I didn't want to spoil anything, so I saved this for the end. Concerning the last part of the chapter, I don't think these paragraphs were enough to change the whole fic's rating and I honestly don't feel like it's overly graphic, because I didn't intend to focus in the physical part. So personally, I'm cool with a 'T'._

_Still, I'm interested in what you guys think of it, if because of this the fic should be an 'M' (or not)._

_More soon! Stay awesome!_


	6. Chapter 6

Hey, everyone!

Unlike the first five chapters, this one was written in a single stretch and almost didn't need any touch up. Color me surprised about that... Anyway, since it's been sitting here (already checked to boredom for typos) I figured what the hell, up the chapter goes. And not much further to go, I have to say; maybe one or two more after this one.

I hope y'all enjoy it!

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><p><strong>Don't Speak<strong>

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><p><em>I really feel <em>

_I'm losing my best friend_

_I can't believe_

_this could be the end_

_Don't Speak – No Doubt_

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><p>There are moments in people's lives that mark a before and after. Breaking points, crossroads, whatever you want to call them. What's important about these moments is that they hold a decision, often quite important and the options are usually complicated. Is no easy feat to overcome them, especially when their consequences might affect more than one person. Max had never considered this theory, but now she could appreciate it's logic as her sister layed out her idea about what this crisis really meant. In retrospective, Max could identify some clues about what was coming her way and she felt plain stupid for not recognizing them as what they were. But if she had to think about that precise moment when everything went to shit, her mind would take her to that gloomy afternoon.<p>

As a child created in a test tube and having a rather cruel upbringing, Max knew first hand what was like to feel hopeless. Just like every transgenic there, she'd met the bitter bite of desperation. She'd had some situations in her life in which feeling powerless drove her to tears and loneliness had been a steady companion during her years on the run.

None of these emotions were foreigners to her, in fact she could list a few more. So why did this hurt so much? Why was she feeling as if someone had ripped her heart off her chest? Maybe because that's what had happened and herself was the one to blame.

She'd come to see Syl because she knew her sister would be completely and brutally honest. Syl didn't sugarcoat, wasn't her style; and in the midst of her confussion and pain, she needed someone who helped to sort out her mind, someone who could look at big picture and then tell her sincerely if this had any chance of being fixed.

Max sat on the ratty couch holding absently a glass of water that Syl'd handed her when she got there and still remained untouched.

The blonde transgenic, for her part, had never seen Max like this. So lost and in pain, but at the same time, numb to everything and everyone.

The last couple of weeks had been difficult in many ways. Some of the transgenics, mostly males, had taken the deal the Government offered: a remunerated position in the Army, Navy, Airforce or the Marines Corp. Naturally, it was hard for the people who chose to stay to accept the fact that some of them needed the military structure in their lives. Everybody had been wary as the farewells multiplied and whole-life friends took different paths. Command was unusually silent most of these days, for almost everyone knew someone who had left with little more than a duffel bag on their backs. The taciturn enviroment reminded Syl to her Manticore young years and she didn't like it. However, it was Max's zombie state which bothered and concerned her the most. All she did was work and stare for hours to the papers on her desk, especially _that_ list. The list of people who had left.

Obviously, records were necessary. So, for every transgenic who no longer lived in TC, Max archived a folder. Name and designation, skillset, medical history and so forth. And when Syl looked for his folder while snooping around Max's office, she soon realised she wasn't going to find it. It was that last fight a drowning person pulled before the water fill the lungs, a desperate attempt to deny his choice. There was no folder listed with his name nor designation.

That was the last straw for Syl and confronted her sister, yet she got nothing, not even a glare for messing with her stuff or intruding her life. She understood then that she had to wait for Max came out, if even a bit, of her twenty-four-seven stupor.

And that had happened today, when Max shyly knocked her front door; which had been over an hour ago and Syl was getting restless, so she decided to shake things up.

"So, are you finally gonna talk to me or would you prefer to blend in with the couch?"

Max stared at her sister with a hard look and Syl resisted the urge to pat herself on the back for a job well done. _Now we're gettin' somewhere_.

"It's my fault," Max said looking out the living room window.

"You're gonna have to be a tad more specific," Syl amended. She knew what Max meant, but if she was going to let eveything out she had to say it out loud.

After hesitating for a few moments, Max spoke again only this time, she stared right into her sister's blue eyes.

"Alec left because of me. It's my fault."

"About damned time..." Syl huffed and saw a flash of hurt pass through her sister's brown eyes at her confirmation of culpability, but she wasn't going to lie. "Now, tell me what happened," the blonde asked, her face impassive.

Max took a deep breath while she thought about that transcendental moment, but if she ought to do this properly, she had to start from the beginning, from the morning she waked up wrapped in his arms.

_Max stirred when the first lights of dawn began to colour the sky. Still in the haze of slumber, she was vaguely aware of the heat the body behind hers irradiated. A male body, her barely conscious mind provided. She could feel the lean muscles of his chest pressing on her back and a strong arm circled her waist. _

_Alec._

_Her eyes snapped open as the memories of the night before rushed inside her head and her body froze to the spreading fear._

_Stupid, she chastised herself. Stupid for giving in, for not thinking twice on the consequences. Stupid, stupid, stupid..._

_They'd slept together and that was going to ruin everything. How were you supposed to move forward after this? _

_Alec's friendship was a great deal to her. It mattered, a lot. He helped constanty with command duties and he had her back. She'd learnt to trust his judgement and he even stood by her when the shit with Logan hit the fan. He knew how drag her out of her sulking episodes and he wasn't afraid to say she should take the stick off her ass when she was being uptight. He was honest to her in ways no one had ever been before and she'd secretly thanked him more than once for it.  
><em>

_So, what now? She knew things would change. She couldn't picture herself acting around him as if nothing had happened and maybe, seeing Alec doing just that would make her freak out even more._

_She felt Alec shifting slightly behind her, perhaps sensing her tension. She had to get out of there, stat._

_As stealthly as she could, Max extracted herself from his embrace. Alec mumbled something she couldn't understand and a sigh of relief scaped her lips when he kept on sleeping._

_Her eyesight picked up the trail of clothes spreading from the kitchen to the bed and she blushed as the memories assaulted her senses. _Snap out of it, soldier.

_She was in desperate need for a shower, but that would for sure wake up the man she sought to avoid right now. They would have to talk, yet she doubted she could take it without at least trying to clear up her mind first._

_Max dressed as fast as she could and grabbed some fresh clothes, silently praying to some higher power for the floorboards didn't squeal and give away her position. The showers in the gym had only cold water, but would get the job done._

_Command was practically deserted when she arrived. Luke was half sitting, half lying on a chair keeping an eye to the perimeter cameras' feedback. Suposedly, being now citizens, there shouldn't be any problems with the ordinaries, but they were trained as soldiers and the routine was so ingrained in their lives they just couldn't let their guards down. Thankfully, old habits die hard. _

_Max exchanged a few words with him, an idea coming to mind. It was Saturday morning. The whole weekend stood before her and for the first time in over a year, paperwork would be relatively low. There was no way the top brass would agree to do something to speed the burocracy up until Monday morning. She hadn't seen Cindy in what felt like ages, so why not take the chance? Plus, she needed some head space, time to think. She was not running away. She wasn't._

_Reserving the details of her future location, Max informed Luke she was going away for a couple of days, assuring she would be back first thing on Monday. The pale transhuman knew better than to ask and simply nodded._

_Max didn't dare returning to the apartment for any item and the keys to her baby were in the drawer of her desk next to an old sector pass._

_By the time the sunrays seeped all across the horizon, her Ninja's engine purred relentlessly, taking Max away from TC._

"I remember that weekend." Syl interrupted, the memories of those days over two weeks ago coming to mind. "Now I get why Alec seemed so interested in finding you," she added.

Max expression shifted into a mix of curiosity and confussion.

"He came here and went to Zane's too," she clarified. Max nodded, understanding what she meant.

"He called while I was at Cindy's," she remembered, her demeanor turning somber.

"And?" Syl prodded.

Max looked at her sister, the guilt written all over her face, but she kept on speaking.

_From the moment she opened the door, OC 'd been giving her those sideways glances of her, the ones she throws when she knows there's more beans to spill, but Max wasn't talking. Of course, she'd come with some half-assed excuses and Cindy, true to her fashion, waited to the right moment to push. _

_Little did she know her opportunity would come less than an hour later. While they shared a cup of coffee, Cindy talked non stop of her latest love interest, a tooth-ache sweet girl she'd met less than a week ago. That's when the shrill of the phone interrupted her._

_Max remained in her spot, milling about a million things when she heard Cindy say his name. That caught her attention, all right. Her eyes fixated on her friend, standing a few feet away._

"_Hey, boo. Watcha doin', callin' so early?" OC asked and then laughed of something Alec said on the otherside of the line. Max tried to tune up her hearing but the thump of the blood resonated in her ears. Suddenly, she was incredibly nervous for no apparent reason and Cindy noticed._

"_Ya know it, Pretty Boy. Original Cindy's the real deal," she said smirking, but a second later she was frowning and looking at her friend way too serious for Max's liking. "Max?" and it was more a tacit question than a double take on what Alec was saying. OC saw clearly the denial in Max's face and answered. "No, haven't seen her in a while, but... Sure, suga'. I'll tell her if I see her. Take care."_

_Cindy ended the call and stared at a very guilty-looking Max. She didn't want to explain yet she knew she didn't have a choice. Her friend wasn't going to let the subject go, much less after lying for her; and after all, that was the main reason she'd come to OC's, right?  
><em>

"_Somethin' ya wanna share?" OC started, sitting back at the table to which Max answered with a non-committal shrug, so she tried again. "Fess up, girl. What's the dealio wit' ya boy?"_

"_He's not my boy," Max answered by inertia, and the affirmation all over sudden stung. Alec was her friend —statement which, in her head, after last night's events remained to be seen. She sighed. "Things got a little intense, is all."_

"_A little intense? Suga', ya whole life is a little too much intense, especially when it comes to Hot Boy. What OC wanna know is what gotcha all worked up."_

"_We had sex," Max blurted out, and right there and then she wished the earth swallowed her precious transgenic ass. She covered her face with her hands, so embarrased as a school girl talking about her crush._

"_And ya aren't handlin' it so well, dontcha?" OC said as a matter-of-factly, shaking her head._

_Max wasn't completely sure if her friend had understood her correctly. Why OC was taking this as if it was the most normal thing in the world? Why wasn't she freaking out —as herself was— and tearing her a new one for being down straight idiot? But Cindy's senses were, apparently, as sharp as always._

"_I hear ya fine, Boo. I jus' don't see why ya make it sound like it's such a bad thing. Alec would even make this sista mend her ways and go straight wit' his looks." Max gave her a sideways glance and OC shrugged. "Ya gotta admit the man is charming. Damn if Manticore knew how to make'em pretty."_

"_It's more than that," Max amended and OC's wicked smile made her clear herself. "I meant, that's not my problem."_

"_Ya sure?"_

_Max ignored her friend's prodding, feeling the need to explain her actions._

"_He's my friend, Cin. This skrews up everything." Cindy was going to take advantage of Max's poor choice of words but she saw the concern in her friend's features and kept the dirty talk for another time. "I should've known better... I knew better but I did it anyways... What kind of friend can I be when I don't care about the consequences. God! I wanted him and that's all it mattered and I can't even blame hormones, 'cause it wasn't heat; it was just me being selfish."_

"_Ya got an itch scratched, is all. And besides, takes two to tango, Boo. Ya even thought about what he wanted? Sounds to me ya made his wish come true." She saw Max being ready to interrupt and fight back, but she kept on speaking. "I've seen that boy lookin' at ya and trust me, he wanted ya right back, so listen good and proper, Boo: don't jump to conclusions and hear him out before ya really skrew up."_

_Cindy knew there was more to it. Friendships to Max meant a lot, but this kind of fear came from other origins. She'd seen her act like this with Logan back in the day, yet she wasn't sure Max had a clue what was truly going on inside her head. So she saved that part of her oppinion for herself. Max was already a mess as it was._

"_So, is Hot Boy a tomcat in the sack as it's been said 'round?" OC asked, trying to lighten the mood._

_Max laughed a bit and shook her head. Cindy, thank God, was never going to change._

_The weekend practically flew by to Max and anxiety crept on her once again while crossing the gates of Terminal City on Monday morning, having sorted out nothing in her mind. She knew the avoiding-Alec time was at it's end and sooner or later she would've to face him, ready or not. The odds weren't on her side sharing an apartment with him, not to mention, the leadership of their Freak Nation. She sighed and entered Command, wich was a bit crowded for that time in the morning._

_She'd expected him to appear right away after she arrived, but that hadn't been the case. Lunch time had come and gone, but to be fair, her entire day so far had been a non stop of phone calls with the different branches of the Government and everybody seemed awfully busy. The afternoon followed suit and she was reaching the point when she even heard her phone ring when it wasn't. Plus, what literally looked to be ton of papers were crowding her desk and everytime a transgenic came through her office's door bearing more, she thought it would be Alec. Yet everytime, it wasn't. She tried to convince herself that it wasn't dissapointment what she felt. She was just tired from all the work._

_Max padded home late in the night. She'd considered spending the night in her office but, hell, she was tired and really needed a shower and maybe some food. Besides, she couldn't dodge Alec for the rest of her life and she wasn't sure if she wanted to._

_The apartment was dark and for an instant she thought he wasn't there. However, her nose told her different. His scent lingered in the air, an enticing perfume which made her close her eyes and inhale deeply._

_She closed the door and allowed her eyesight to focus. There, in the far corner of the living room was Alec, sitting on the floor, his back against the wall and his eyes on her. Max felt her heart rate rise to his intense stare and she broke the contact. She shrugged her jacket off, trying to find something remotely adequate to say, but nothing came to mind. So she kept her mouth shut, waiting for him to speak. More than hear him, she sensed he was standing up, approaching to her spot and she felt the urge to move. Once in the bedroom, she sat on the bed, keeping herself busy with the task of removing her boots. She'd expected the remorse and confusion assault her when she would finally face him, yet the want... It'd been surprising, for lack of a better word. It made no sense at all. She'd given in to that want, believing after the deed was done, it would go away; yet here it was, that kind of primal need pooling inside her once more... It was unnerving and made her uncomfortable in her own skin. If those eyes looked at her like that again, she would give in, she just knew it. _

_He was standing in the bedroom's doorstep, keenly observing her, as if she was an strange yet wonderful ocurrency he had to figure out. She stood up, the feel of the bed along with his presence getting too much to bear. Max started to seach her closet for something, or perhaps, she just was tying to keep her hands busy and her mind numb._

"_You done avoiding me or you need a couple more days?" he spoke. His voice was a low rumble and just by hearing him, she quivered._

_She had to clear her throat before she could answer, and when she did, it didn't come out as firm as she would like to be._

"_I wasn't avoiding anyone. Had some things to take care of."_

Liar, liar, pants on fire_ his smirk seemed to say. _

_Why was he shortening the distance between them? Why wasn't she moving away? _

_Alec closed in on her, trapping her body between his and the flimsy furniture. Forgetting she shouldn't, she looked into his eyes. Wrong move. The hazel was gone completely but his eyes were so expresive when he didn't try to conceal what he felt... _

_Alec leaned in, his lips grazing her ear and she gasped, maybe in surprise, maybe in pleasure._

"_I thought we'd established I could tell when you lie," he whispered, his warm breath caressing the side of her face. _

_If asked later, Max couldn't possibly say where from she got the resolve nor the energy to push him away._

"_Oh, please..." she said, putting as much space between them as she could and rolling her eyes for good measure. He wasn't giving up though, because he was in her personal space in miliseconds yet again. "What're you doing?" she asked, flabbergasted, as if they hadn't been in a compromising position an instant ago._

"_You can run all you want, Max; but no matter how far you'll go in the morning, you're still gonna want me in the night."_

_It wasn't a question or a theory, it was an affirmation and he sounded incredibly sure of himself. When had he learnt to figure her out so well? How exactly had he got so close to her to call her bluffs so easily?_

_She might be going down, but not without a fight, simply because the brawl was known territory for them. _"_Since when do you think you own the truth?" Max huffed. "You know nothing." How skrewed her head was when she felt more comfortable fighting than being sincere? _

_Alec snorted in disbelief and that riled her up even more._

"_I know enough, Max," he claimed and then proceeded to kiss her senseless._

_That's when Max promptly forgot about why were they fighting and just like a coulple of nights ago, she couldn't point a finger on the reasons why she shouldn't be doing this._

_It was like breaking a support pillar of a dam, a chain reaction between their chemistry, something utterly undeniable. She didn't have to say it, neither did he. That spark, that fire was there, consuming both all over again. Everything escalated from then on. _

_Their first time had been full with agressive energy, and why try to make it to the bed when the wall seemed just fine to her? It'd ended with her nails raking his back, his name flooding her mouth while his was thoroughly occupied with her neck. Then he'd smiled wickedly at her and Max knew she'd just signed up for a second ride. She found herself futilely wondering how Alec knew about her tender spots and her inner cat purred in pleasure seeing him panting and gasping beneath her._

_She fell asleep eventually, with Alec's fingers caressing gently through her spine._

_Their first night together had been mind-shattering and world-rocking. At least she could be honest with herself. But this second encounter was different somehow. She feared she could pull something trying to figure out what or how exactly. Maybe it was because of that last round, when she had waked him up in the middle of the night, spraying soft kisses on his chest. It had been slow and tender. It could almost be catalogued as making love. Too real for her liking. And after what he'd said to her in the morning, the look on his face while saying it... God. Could her life get any messier?_

"What happened the morning after?" Syl interjected. She was beginning to understand where the shots came from. Not that she hadn't imagined all this already.

Max's face lost a bit of colour, her gaze dropping to the floor. She felt utterly ashamed of how she'd handled that conversation. Some soldier she was, fleeing when things got rough. Maybe Alec'd been right all along and she was nothing more than a coward.

_Max woke up when the sunlight started to filter through the bedroom window. Her eyes opened finding the hazel of Alec's staring right at her. There was no chance of escaping this time. Still, his eyes weren't accusing her, didn't seem demanding in any way. He was solely and purely looking at her. She should have seen it right there and perhaps she did but didn't want to acknowledge it. There was a silent reverence to his gaze, a profound awe she'd never whitnessed before. A foreigner feeling sat inside her chest, something she couldn't hope to discern and she quickly pushed it aside, sensing his fingers travelling through the side of her face._

"_Mornin', Maxie," and it was a mere whisper she barely heard. _

_Like a mocking déjà vu, her body hummed in tension, the familiarity of it and how right all this felt rising alarms in her mind._

_She got up, turning her back on him and she heard him sigh. Max got dressed as fast as she could, only when reaching the kitchen trusting enough in her voice to speak._

"_Want some coffee?"_

_She busied herself with the job of breakfast making, her hands flying through the cupboards frantically. _

_His deep voice reached her ears and she knew he'd crept up on her again._

"_Max, we need to talk."_

_Trust Alec to make the hard calls, as usual, the bitchy voice in her head said. But no matter how much she hated her consciousness, she admitted it was meant to happen. Might as well get it done. She turned around, finding him barefoot wearing only his jeans. _

"_Yeah, we do," she answered. He appeared bewildered, probably because she never agreed with him. Max took his silence as a cue and plunged. "Look, Alec. I don't... I don't really know how to do this, or what're we doing," she muttered. He cocked an eyebrow as a sly grin started to curve his lips. Max rolled her eyes. "I mean, this situation. We're friends, Alec. This is not how friends act."_

"_We still are, but that's not all we can be..." he tried, a bit hesitant and his sudden insecurity threw Max for a loop. Her Alec was a cocky smart-ass, yet this man in front of her... She didn't know what to make of him._

_And they being more than what they were? The thought drove her near to a hyperventilation episode, so she had to calm her antics down before she could ask._

"_What? Bed buddies?" her shock to the possibility showed clearly on her face. "I can't do that, Alec. You're my best friend, my... I just can't. And when you find another female to take that place, how're we supposed to act around each other? No, thanks, my life is awkward enough..." Her hands were moving all around, trying to emphazise her speech when his landed on her shoulders, but she kept on ranting, pushing him away. "Let's just leave it how it is. A mistake and no more."_

_Max saw the hurt cross his features, his eyes losing some of their usual gleam. He tried to chuckle, failling by far; his fingers raking through his hair and when he looked at her again, he was sheer determination personified._

"_I love you, Max."_

_She gaped a couple of times and exited the kitchen because she had the feeling of being choked. _

_To say his words blindsided her was an understatement. She leaned on the living room's window sill, searching for a hint somewhere that told her what the hell was she supposed to do next. Her mind raced a thousand miles per hour but never reached any conclusion; like in those dreams when you try to run to only find yourself anchored to the spot. In the midst of her frantic musings, Max thought she was nothing more than a broken doll, as Alec once said. The list of every failed attempt to a relationship crossed her head; her past surged forward to cruelly mock of her inaptitude when it came to this subject. She realised then she knew nothing about love. How could she, when all she'd done was shield herself from everything...  
><em>

_Max heard his steps approaching, and she turned around. Her hand stood in the air, indicating him that was far enough. She couldn't even look at him. She was terrified of what she might find._

"_Max, I said-"_

"_I heard you," she interrupted him, her voice harsh. In a corner of her mind, the thought she was hurting him rose, but the fear cursed through her paralizing every fiber in her being._

_This wasn't what she had in mind when she'd pictured them talking. She'd wanted to say it had been a mistake; and by prediction, she reckoned he would agree. But this... _

_Did she need him? Yes. Very much so. But did she love him? _

_She'd spent so much time trying to convince herself of what she should or shouldn't feel, that she'd forgotten about her true feelings. And now, it was all an amorphous blended mess. Was there love somewhere in between all these nebulous emotions? She just didn't know and couldn't answer that. Not the way he seeked._

"_Alec, I..." and she choked finally, the knot in her throat getting bigger by the second._

_Alec's face turned into that hideous mask Manticore'd taught them to use and he nodded._

"_See? That's why there's no point in playing a game you're gonna lose," he said in a cold voice and Max knew she'd broken both of them._

_He turned and dissapeared through the bedroom door._

"I shouldn't have left," Max told Syl, the pain stamped on her features. "I thought... I don't know what I thought but never imagined..." She shook her head, as if this was a nightmare she desesperately wanted to wake up from. "My shift was about to start and I guessed he needed time... Hell! I needed time," a sour laugh escaped her lips, finding almost amusing what a blind idiot she was, because she hadn't needed time, she just needed to see. "But that afternoon I got the preliminary list of the names... Y'know..." For the life of her, she couldn't even say it out loud. Syl nodded. "And his name was there." A wayward tear run down her cheek. "I blurred home and all I could think was 'maybe he's not gone yet'. I never thought he'd leave without saying goodbye..."

And that was it, Max bursted in tears, shuddering in the sorrow she'd been carrying for weeks.

Syl hugged her and tried to calm her down. Sometimes, you had to hit the bottom before you can surge back up, she thought.

"Max, listen to me. By now you gotta know why you're so bent out of shape, right?"

The brunette quickly dried her tears, feeling incredibly weak for breaking like that. She knew what Syl was asking, and if she had to be honest, the answer still frightened her. But somehow, the big jerk that he was had managed to sneak up in her life so deep the idea of living like this, without him, was frankly unbearable.

All that she'd wanted was to save that bond and while proving herself to be a complete obtuse in these matters, not only she'd lost it, but had also found a way to hurt him, badly.

Max nodded in response, and Syl spoke again.

"Then you know you have to go after him."

Yes, she did.

She had to make it right. Cursing herself for her lack of awareness and moping around weren't going to help her do that. So she shutted down the self-loathing festival and focused in what mattered.

Alec.

Yet she didn't know where he went, but she had a good guess on who might.

A slow smile lighted up Syl's face as Max stepped out her sister's home.

Mole was beginning to think he'd made the right call by staying in TC. He'd considered the possibility of returning to militar duties, but then again, those crazy X-series with their heat cycles and mating issues needed to be kept an eye on; and of course, there was Eve as well. He'll deny it if asked, but Gem's little girl owned him, big time.

He was having a quiet, peaceful afternoon so far. Just him and his beloved guns in the Armory, doing some inventory, separating the weapons which required some cleaning and checking the ammo. Then, he heard the thump of boots on the hard floor, fast and loud. There was only one person in this shit hole who walked like that.

Mole took a puff from his cigar, intending to keep on with his duties. He was so not in the mood for one of their Fearless Leader's _pep up talks_ or whatever she did these days.

"Mole," she called him, and without even looking at her, he could tell she was in one of those bitchy tantrums of hers. He took his time to set on the table before him the parts of the M16 he was currently cleaning.

"What do I owe the pleasure?" he asked, clearly uninterested. Max rolled her eyes, annoyed. She did not have time for this.

"I need information," and that did cause him some curiosity. So, Queen B wanted intel. He had a good idea on what, or rather who, exactly. Mole grunted and a cloud of smoke rose from his cigar. Seeing she wasn't going to get any words from him, Max pushed. "Alec. I want to know where he went."

Her voice came out firm, giving no room to question. However, this was Mole, and he always had something to say.

"Why do you care? Your SIC took off weeks ago and you did nothin' about it." _So what're you gonna do now?_ was the unspoken question lingering between them.

Mole wasn't a fool, she knew that much. He probably had figured out the reasons for Alec's departure, so she accepted his hard look and callous words, yet his reticence to speak wasn't going to help any of them.

"I skrewed up. I want to fix it."

Mole laughed, but there was no humour to it.

"You're gonna put a band aid and make it all better? _Please_... Despite being an 09'er, always thought you weren't the deluded kind," he bit back. His words stung and the worst part was maybe he was right and she was only decieving herself, but...

"I have to try."

Being honest, he hadn't expected hearing her say that —especially after seeing her spending the last days like she was too good for this world and the people in it—, not to mention, the amount of sincerity those four words carried. He studied Max, making her feel like a teenager under some professor's scrutiny. Mole sighed, taking the cigar from his scaly lips. Cinderella was probably gonna hate him for selling him out, but something had to give. It was instinct maybe, a hunch which told him he was doing the right thing.

"He joined the Marines. They stationed him in Yuma, but don't know if he's still there."

"Is a place to start," she said, nodding, a shy smile forming on her full lips, "and thanks, Mole."

"Yeah, whatever. Fuckin' X's wastin' time with bullshit..."

Perhaps, letting him ranting there wasn't very polite, but she had almost fifteen hundred miles to cover. Strangely enough, the prospect of going out on the road ignited a deep part in her, or it might be the promise of seeing Alec again. A bewildered Jondy'd helped with supplies, some food and plenty gas to make it to Portland. She'd called Logan repeatedly, getting to the edge of harrasement, for a permit to exit the city.

A few hours later, a small backpack and her baby were her only companions while she headed South, raking the asphalt of the I-5.

Max just hoped it wasn't too late.

* * *

><p><em>More soon! Stay awesome!<em>


	7. Chapter 7

Hey, everyone!

'Running' was going to be a single chapter (and the last one), but my overzealous muse got hold of my fingers and turned out to be really long, so I felt splitting it up was a good idea. Part 2 is already written, but it still needs work. I'll try to have it ready as soon as possible.

As always, thank you all so much for the comments! You guys've been awesome and I'm super grateful for your support. And I apologize in advance if there are any typos lying around.

Hope y'all enjoy it!

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><p><strong>Running – Part 1<strong>

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><p><em>And I'm so sorry that I've fallen<br>Help me up, lets keep on running  
>Don't let me fall out of love<em>

_Running – No Doubt_

* * *

><p>Alec had an amazing imagination; his mind was totally capable of coming up with the most weird, wild or twisted situations. But sometimes, the reality overcame fiction by handing to you that particular set of cards you thought you'd never get. For better or for worse, life was unpredictable, so he guessed he ought to stop imagining. For example, he'd expected hostile attitudes when he first came to Yuma but that hadn't been the case. He'd been assigned to a prearranged unit, with people who'd spent years together and to his surprise, none of the guys were against him for being a transgenic. Quite the contrary, they were mostly curious about the subject and after the ice broke between them, all they did was ask: <em>how many missions did you completed? Were they solo missions? How many countries have you been at?<em>

And if there was something about Alec which overpowered his imagination it certainly were his abilities to tell a good story. So he spoke and they listened. Sometimes, they shared stories with him. The deal suited him just fine, it kept his head well occupied and along with the physical exercise they were bound to do, helped him to rebuild his shield. The shield she'd shattered.

His unconscious mind however didn't seem to be as malleable. Like the perfect expression of his very own nature, it was untamed and it surged forward when the sun went down. He'd heard once someone say dreams were the manifestation of oneself most primal urges. If that was true, then he was royally fucked, for Alec's days were his, but his nights were _hers_.

How do you fight a memory? How do you change your dreams? How do you get rid of that _want_?

Well, Psy-Ops was out of the table at that moment and Alec had his doubts it would even work. She was _so_ ingrained in his mind...

He slept because he had to, but there wasn't a single night he didn't dream about her. Her eyes, her lips. The soft touch of her skin against his. His name escaping her mouth in throaty breaths. Her smile...

He missed her so much, yet he hated her. He hated her for naming him, for giving him hope, for making him believe he could be so much more. He hated every damn thing he loved about her. Or maybe, he just hated himself for not being able to let go.

Alec held to his routine, trusting in the monotony of morning drills to make his vivid dreams go away. He did what Manticore had taught him: he pretended. He joked with his unit mates, which helped build the camaraderie. He excelled in every excercise, inspiring awe in superiors and fellow soldiers. He was never disrespectful. He finally was just the true blue he'd been brought up to be.

He hadn't felt so empty in his entire life.

Still, he didn't try to make any ammends. There was nothing else for him but this, the one thing he was good at.

That morning started as it supposed to be. Breakfast, the fifteen miles run, push ups and the practise at the fire range. A five minute shower and then, lunch. Since it was Saturday, though, they had the afternoon and night off. A small pause before the storm. Their Sergeant had informed them they were being deployed to the East Coast in two weeks, which was a pretty way to say the days ahead were going to be harsh and long when it came to training. Alec was just glad he could put more space between him and Seattle.

He sat on his cot, setting the items for cleaning his gun in front of him. In a couple of swift moves, the nine millimeter was disengaged and he began the boring task. It was better than do nothing.

John was a particularly over-excited twenty two year old from Alabama and the prospect of having some time off was keeping him comfortably floating in cloud nine. As a kid preparing for Christmas, he was getting his civilian clothes in order while almost harrasing Alec to join them to their trip to a bar.

"Johnny, leave the guy alone," Tom chided, his eyes never leaving his copy of The Art of War, but he was obviously paying attention to his surroundings.

Thomas could easily pass as a transgenic, Alec thought. The man was the most serious of the lot. Intelligent and not so bad looking, he came from a wealthy family from Boston. In Alec's mind, Thomas had certain resemblance to Logan, even though he wasn't such a pretentious pain in the ass, according to his scale.

John, on the other side, was the youngest and self appointed pet of the team. There was no such thing as a serious matter to Johnny and anything could be the start for a joke.

At the end of the room, Doug chuckled because of John's attitude. He was the oldest in the unit, reaching his thirties the next month. He also was the most experienced of them —except for Alec—, perhaps that's why he didn't say much, but every time he spoke there was a hint of wisdom to his words.

Liam was the field med and seemed completely oblivious to Johnny's antics, for his nose was buried deep in a book, as always. He would go to the bar nontheless, because he felt his unit was his family. Liam's parents had died long ago and he'd joined the Marines as a means to an end: he'd always wanted to be a doctor but had no money to pay for such career. Now, after getting his degree, he was paying the Government back with years of service.

Tucker was the only one who had a relative in the city near the base. He and his younger sister had escaped their abusive stepfather when they were very young and had lived in the streets for years. Like Liam, he'd enlisted seeking an objective: to provide for Sarah, his sister. They'd saved money and about a year ago, Sarah'd been able to open a bar and the bussiness was thriving.

They were all very different in many ways but being the smallest unit in the base had strenghted the bonds they had with each other.

"C'mon, dude... Don't leave us hangin'. Come have a drink with us," Johnny pressed, as if he couldn't let the subject go.

"If I say yes, will you shut it?" Alec asked, a half grin on is face. John nodded quickly.

"He's lying, he never shuts up," Tuck added, while he tried to make his boots as shiny as possible.

"That's so not true. I cherish the silence." Johnny's face was stoic, but Doug's laughter indicated he knew the kid was full of BS.

The sudden noise of the book closing startled a few of them.

"I forgot to tell you," Liam started, without a single clue of what were they talking or if he was interrupting a conversation. "I treated a broken nose this morning."

"Fascinating," Tom commented. "Bet you'd never seen one of those before."

"Please, Thomas. I graduated years ago. Of course I've seen broken noses." The sarcasm was lost in Liam and Tom rolled his eyes. "That's not the point I was trying to make. The private I treated reached the Med Bay unconcious. When he came to, he told the Major that a female had attempted to breach the perimeter and when he shouted for her to halt, she knocked him out. There's no footage of the woman though, which I consider very strange."

Nobody seemed bothered with Liam's impression of a walking thesaurus so Alec guessed they were used to it. Instead, they were milling over the information the man had just provided. He didn't spare much more than a thought on it. Alec simply wasn't interested in the incompetence of the perimeter guards and concentrated on reassembling his gun.

When the dusk extended widely over the horizon, the six men were stepping out the north entrance of the base, heading to Yuma. It was a walk of a couple of miles, but some Jeeps were available for the soldiers to use in these ocassions.

"Go ahead, guys. I'll walk," Alec said, his hands in his jean's pockets. Johnny seemed ready to retort, but Doug talked first.

"No problem. We'll be at the 24th St., almost getting to Pacific Ave. Got it?"

Alec nodded and Tuck revved the Jeep's engine. John waved him with a hint of dissapointment before they dissapeared in the night.

He actually needed the time alone. Being in a base with a tight schedule prevented him from that, and if he had to be completely honest, he wasn't so sure this decision had been the best one. Of course, staying in TC was out of the question. He'd even craved for leaving Seattle, for getting as far away as he could. He was practically two steps away from Mexico, but with his citizenship in progress he wasn't sure if he could cross the border in legal terms and he wasn't in the mood for illegalities. He'd had enough of hunting and hiding for a lifetime. Maybe this mission in the East Coast was his break. He could ask to stay in DC, which if granted, would put the entire continent between him and her. Though Alec seriously doubted the distance could make any difference, he had to try. He saw no other way out of this. A bitter laugh escaped him. This is what Max'd reduced him to, he was fleeing like a scared dog from a punishing master.

Max.

Damn her.

He could still see the shock on her face when he confessed his feelings. He'd expected... Well, he didn't really know what he'd expected, but that moment, when she choked on her own words splintered his heart in thousands of pieces. He'd interrupted her because if he heard her say 'I'm sorry' the damage would've been too great.

He knew right then there was nothing for him in Seattle. The pain was too raw, the wound widely open. Seeing her every day, living her life, maybe even with someone else... Sufice to say he wasn't a masochist. Therefore, he packed a duffel with his meager belongings and talked to Mole in private. The transhuman made the arrangements, not daring to ask about the reasons of his sudden departure. After saying goodbye to Joshua and the scaly man, he climbed on his Bandit and didn't look back.

At the half-way of his trip, he found himself boiling in doubts. He detoured a few miles to visit San Francisco, lingering there for a couple of days, perhaps hoping to find something that guideded him into the right track. It was absurd because they'd never been together there, but all he could think about was Max and how much she would've love to see the city. Countless times during his voyage he'd picked up his phone and dialed her number to only put it back in his pocket, until he fed up and threw the damn thing into the Pacific Ocean.

Eventually he reached Yuma, where the personnel was already waiting for him. The rest was pretty much a blur to him.

Now, he was willing to go wherever the inertia carried him.

Alec got to the city limits, entering the small town walking without hurry nor purpose. He found the bar in no time, the perks of having a brain wired with GPS functions. Johnny and Doug were having a smoke outside and greeted him. Alec asked if it was too crowded inside. Normally, it wouldn't have been a problem, but he wasn't feeling up for being surrounded by a ton of people.

"Nah, it's a normal night. Although there's a hell of good looking chick I've never seen before and I'm feelin' lucky tonight," Johnny said, grinning wolfishly to the perspective of a conquest.

"C'mon, let's see this fool crash and burn, shall we?" Doug teased, smiling.

Alec nodded as John muttered a 'will not'.

The young man entered first, full of confidence, striding straight to the brunette sitting on a stool. As Alec and Doug crossed the doorstep, Johnny was already talking to her, but the girl wasn't interested. She said something to him and stood up, apparently ready to leave.

Alec's breath got caught in his lungs and his hazel eyes opened to comic proportions because right there, in her favourite jeans and leather jacket was Max, as beautiful and unreachable as always.

* * *

><p>Max debated with herself if she should call Alec before showing up. Portland, Salem, Eugene, Medford, Redding; all those cities and countless other smaller towns came and left and she still couldn't make up her mind. She didn't stop very often except for gas, food and water. She tried to avoid check points and civilization as much as she could because the transgenics and their newly adquired citizenship were a hot topic at the moment and she didn't want any trouble. When she reached Sacramento though, it became obvious she was in desperate need for a shower. Thinking it was better and easier to pass undetected in a big city than in a small town where everybody knew each other, she rented a dingy motel room in the outskirts. The water was cold, but the towels were clean, which was good enough for her. Sleeping in a matress renewed her strenght or at least, she thought so and staring at the rising sun she found the courage to make the call. Her expectations were short-lived though because an automatic voice informed her the number had been disconnected. Maybe it was better that way, perhaps if she warned him she'd only make it worse, but she couldn't help feeling a tinge of dissapointment. Max longed for hearing his voice again.<p>

Los Angeles was a similar experience. She remained in the suburbs, avoiding people stares. Scape and evade was something she stood up in, something she was used to do; an ability she'd even tested against Alec. Because she'd scaped him, cowardly. Sometimes, her own stupidity amazed her. How pushing Alec away could possibly solve anything? What was she thinking? Had she been thinking at all?

Inconspicuously, she slid between the city and the Coast line, riding that last stretch to San Diego by the sea.

Max reached Interstate 8 gladly, picking up speed, finally knowing only a few hours of road were ahead. Her heart rate also accelerated, almost responding to the revving of the engine and the freedom of the desert. She thought of Alec for the millionth time and how much she wished he'd shared a trip like this with her. She missed him so much...

The brunette arrived Yuma in early hours of the morning and headed straight to the base after consulting her map. The place was fenced, of course, and grim memories of Manticore reached her consciousness. She didn't allow herself to dwell in the reminiscence, because now that she was there, she came to realise she didn't have a plan. What was she supposed to do? Hiding in some bushes, she zoomed her sight into the security post, about a mile East. She supposed that if she walked over there, they wouldn't let her pass, not without a permit. She sighed. She'd been travelling for thousands of miles and not once she'd stopped to think what would she do when she was finally there. Typical mistake for her. She looked at the six feet of chain-link fence, plus the barbed wire on the top, the 'No Tresspassing' sign almost mocking her. Only one thing was clear: she _had_ to see him.

_Here goes nothin'_. Max did the math in her head quickly and staying low, she drew back a few steps. She studied both of her flanks and seeing no one, she made the run and jumped.

Max landed on the other side, instantly searching for someone who might've heard her. No person was nearby, no cameras either but she did see some crates not so far. While hurrying herself for cover, she heard gunshots coming from the South which distracted her for a moment. Although it was just a second, it cost her dearly, because she failed to see the private coming out from behind the crates. The kid couldn't be older than eighteen or nineteen, but he was a soldier and he was already pointing a gun to her. Max blurred and punched him as hard as she could in the face before he got the chance to react. The soldier fell on his back unconscious, blood gushing out of his nose. Max approached him, feeling a bit bad for the teenager and turned him on his side. Last thing she wanted was the kid dead, drowned in his own blood. That's when she heard voices, most likely more soldiers on patrol duty and she sighed deeply.

Entering the base illegally and in broad daylight wasn't among the brightest of her ideas, so she retreated before more people showed up and she got to spend the rest of her life locked up in a military prison for tresspassing. Back to the drawing board it was if she wanted to see Alec any time soon. She remained hidden in the bushes until some soldiers carried the kid inside.

After that _wonderful_ idea, Max headed to town and rented a room. She took a long shower while debated herself about her options. She could try breaking in again, but she would need at least a layout of the base, not to mention the necessary recon she'd less than intelligently obviated that morning; and it'd have to be during the night. She knew it was possible but it would take her days of planning and she wasn't sure she had that kind of time. What if Alec was ready to be mobilised that very moment? Max reckoned he didn't need any of the training the base could provide. He already was an experienced soldier.

There also existed the possiblity of asking for a visitor permit, but Max doubted she'd be granted one or if Alec would agree to see her. In any case, they'd be under vigilance the whole time and Max as sure as hell didn't want an audience when she got the chance to speak with him.

Max called home, checking in with Syl who informed her things were running just fine in TC. A couple of new babies to report, the summer was still being unusually hot in Seattle but no more news from there. However, Syl did take her time to thoroughly interrogate her sister and when Max told her about that morning's big fiasco, Syl couldn't help to laugh.

"You need to keep your head in the game, Max. You just can't barge in, you know better," Syl said after the mirth was gone. She knew Max was almost desperate to see Alec again, but being reckless wasn't going to help her achieve her objective.

Max sighed, she hated waiting. "Yeah, I know. That's why I need you to ask Dix or Luke for the blueprints of the base and anything else they can find on it. I don't think the military keeps anything like that here in town. Meanwhile, I'll start with the recon and-"

"Whoa, hold it," Syl interrupted. "You've been on the road for days, sleepin' almost nothin' and eatin' shitty food. Do yourself a favour and get a decent meal, a drink to loosen up a bit and then think about the recon. I'll pass the word to the guys. We'll figure it out, Max; we always do. Just take it easy, okay?"

Max could hear the concern in her sister's voice on the other side of the line, and she had to admit her sister was probably right. "Will do. Thanks, Syl... Talk soon."

After Syl's promise of calling if they came across with any kind of intel, Max ended the call. Dinner didn't feel so alluring. Her stomach had been closed for weeks, that's why she merely nibbled a sandwich and she was good to go. That drink though sounded perfect. Max was aware alcohol wouldn't numb her mind in the way she sometimes longed to, still she could use a beer. Plus, it'd give her the opportunity to snoop around town.

Max grabbed her jacket and chose to walk, leaving her Ninja safely hidden in an alley. She located a not so shady bar not far from her motel. The place seemed fairly decent, not so many drunks lying around but what caught her attention were the men she recognized as soldiers. Sure, they were all in civilian clothes, but it was still evident for her to notice. The way they carried themselves, how they appeared aware of their surroundings despite they were relaxed. _It takes one to know one_, she supposed. Having found a place where soldiers hang out was progress, she thought. Maybe, she'd be lucky enough to catch some interesting conversations about the base, like schedules or security details; or perhaps he would show up... She sighed to her wishful thinking.

Max crossed the distance to the counter, gaining more than a few interested looks, but she tried to remain calm as she sat on a stool and took her jacket off. A young girl approached to her, ready to take her order. The girl was a petite woman in her twenties, Max guessed; she kept light brown hair cut into a bob and her eyes reminded Max to Jondy. There was kindness in those eyes and she carried that girl-next-door kind of beauty. The tag attached to her shirt read 'Sarah'.

Sarah eyed Max for a moment, probably recognizing she wasn't from around. "Hey, what can I get you?"

"A beer," Max answered, accepting the scrutiny.

Sarah poured the amber liquid in a large mug while Max's gaze searched the place. "Seems you're lookin' for someone," the girl asserted, a half smile on her face.

Max hesitated for a moment. "I am," and when she saw Sarah's stare still intent on her, she added, "a friend." She sipped her beer and it wasn't that bad, she realised. She also realised Sarah was curiously glancing her way from time to time; but she didn't care, because she was there nursing her beer, waiting and hoping that for once, fate would be kind enough to make him show up.

Sarah, on her part, didn't consider herself unique or special, but she did have a good sense for reading people. Maybe because her years in the streets, maybe it was due to her current job, but she could tell which kind of burden every person carried and this brunette at the end of the counter was heartbroken. She couldn't really explain how she knew, but all the hints were there. Each time the door opened and a male laughter resonated in the air, the brunette would turn around and search, and every single time she returned to her beer dissapointed, her features more and more hopeless.

Sarah saw her brother coming in with his unit mates except for the new guy, and Johnny, as usual started to throw anything but discrete glances to the brunette, who seemed oblivious. Sarah told him not to bother with that girl, but the kid didn't listen, so she just shrugged because he never did. Something told her the brunette was able to take care of herself anyway.

Around an hour later, Sarah finally saw Johnny making his move, but just as she expected, the brunette wasn't interested. _Heartbroken_, she confirmed to herself while going to the back for a couple of bottles of scotch.

Max couldn't really tell how long she'd been there, but her beer was warm by now and she'd lost her appetite for alcohol. She'd already had her jacket on and was putting a couple of dollars over the counter when a guy smiling widely leaned over it, next to her. She eyed the man, noticing he wasn't much older than the young soldier who's nose she'd broken that very morning. Great, just what she needed, lame pick-up lines. She really wasn't in the mood for any of that so she turned down the guy as kindly as she could manage and she was grateful when he didn't insist.

She stood up and turned around, ready to leave.

Despite all the miles Max'd travelled and the enormous amount of thought she'd put to the situation, the sight of his hazel eyes caught her completely off guard. A myriad of feelings assaulted her without previous notice. Suddenly, she wanted to laugh, cry, to tell him she was sorry, to ask him to come back home. Instead, all she did was stare at him and smiled, really smiled for the first time in weeks. Alec appeared to be as shocked as she was, for he remained anchored to his spot, his bright green eyes never leaving hers.

Her foggy mind absently realised several men were staring at them, including the guy who'd tried to buy her a drink. One of them asked something and Alec nodded, but she didn't pay much attention to the people around them. She was way too occupied noticing his uneven breathing, his high heart rate. Max's focus on Alec was so deep she didn't even manage to protest when he grabbed her wrist and less than gently, pulled her out of the bar.

Alec'd never believed he'd see her again, but here she was, right in front of him smiling just like the Max in his dreams did; and if anyone could do something like this, it was Max; because the woman never did what she was supposed to do. She marched at her own beat, and if the world didn't like it, skrew it, she'd do it anyway. His heart speeded up instantly and even though he knew he should just turn around and dissapear if he treasured his sanity, he couldn't.

Johnny's bewildered stare shifted between both transgenics. "You know each other?"

John's question made him snap out of it, the gears in his mind rolling again and making him realise he ought to get out of there, because he wasn't keen on giving free shows. Holding Max before do so had been an automatic move, almost a reflex.

_Concentrate. Focus_, chided himself. He tried to convince himself that the fact he could feel his fingers tingle because of the touch of her skin wasn't important, that didn't matter this was the most alive he'd felt in weeks.

Alec stopped his tracks in a almost empty parking lot around the corner of the bar, Max right behind him, her wrist still in his hand. The heat of her skin burned him and Alec let her loose. Staring at her again quickly turned the dubious encounter into an overwhelming situation and he had to tear his eyes from her face. Not knowing what to do or say, he started pacing like a caged lion.

Max looked at him come and go while raking his hands through his hair, realising she'd never seen him this upset, hating herself for being the cause of it. She waited, not daring to say a word just yet. They needed to talk, but he would have to calm down first.

He could feel her gaze following him while he tried to decide if this was his worst nightmare or the best of his dreams. Both options had their merits. He finally slowed down and leaned on the trunk of a car which had definitely seen better days. The metal squeaked but he ignored it, turning his attention to Max. She was standing a few feet away, staring at him intensely, but despite that she seemed peaceful, serene; a complete opposite to him in that moment.

"What're you doin' here, Max?" he asked harshly before he could restrain himself, rubbing his forehead as if that could ease any of the tension he felt. It didn't.

"I'm looking for you," she answered, as if it was more than obvious. She noticed his short hair and he seemed more built since she'd last seen him. Training was clearly showing and at first sight, he appeared to be well adjusted to his new routine. But then again she also noticed the dark circles under his eyes, the stiffness of his stance; which told her maybe he wasn't as comfortable as he would like to be. Then again, her presence might have something to do with that.

He opened his arms wide, but she knew it wasn't an invitation to a hug. "You found me. What do you want?" Alec's voice was as sharp as a knife and she steeled herself against it. Before she could answer, he spoke again, the bitting sarcasm flooding his speech. "No, let me guess... No one back at TC puts up with your shit, isn't it? Sorry to dissapoint you, but the punching bag service is closed on weekends."

Max forced herself to stay calm. She knew Alec would fight back. "I came to ask you to come home."

Alec couldn't believe it. She actually had the nerve to stand straight in front of him as if _nothing_ had happened and blatantly ask him to come back to Seattle... The situation was twisted in so many ways it wasn't even funny, but he laughed nontheless; a cold laugh which made Max cringe. Come back to what, he thought. To be there _for_ her, but never _with_ her, like always? He wasn't that altruistic.

"I think I'll pass, Max. Have a nice trip home," and with that, he turned and started walking.

Max mind stopped for a millisecond, and then she reacted. Reaching for him and taking his hand, she stood in front of him as their eyes locked. "I'm sorry," she said and he looked down because he still couldn't stand the sight of her eyes deeply staring at him. Max placed a hand on his cheek, making him see her again and repeated her words. "I wish I hadn't, but I know I hurt you. I'm sorry."

The sincerity in her voice almost destroyed him. His heart and body screamed to stay there, with her, to indulge his desires and hopes. Yet, there were self preservation red flags everywhere in his head. Knowing her as he did felt like a curse, because he could anticipate her reactions. He knew Max was out of options and she wanted to repair the damage, but that also meant she was willing to do, to say anything to do it. And Alec knew what she was going to say. There was one problem though: he didn't believe her. After everything, he couldn't.

She had the oddest feeling, an awkward, dreadful sensation, a whispering voice which told her she could confess she loved him, but no matter how much honesty she put into the words, he wouldn't accept it as the truth. She still had to try.

"I lov-" she started, but his fingers rested on her lips, preventing her to say it and confirming her suspicions.

Max's hart sank and she would have sworn the floor beneath her feet was unstable, but perhaps, her knees were faltering. She understood then and there she'd broken whatever it was they used to have and there was nothing to say or do, she couldn't fix it. _So this is what he felt when I choked._

He'd bitten the dust so many times because of her... He'd lost count long ago. There was only one thing clear in his mind: she would not see him fall apart, not this time. That's why he had to get out of that damned place, away from her warmth and touch, from her beautiful eyes; because there was only so much he could bend before breaking.

Wearing his mask, he shook his head. "No point in sayin' it if you don't mean it, remember?"

His words damaged her more than she already was, more than what she considered was humanely possible. _This can't be happening_, was the mantra her mind repeated again and again. But then she stared into the hazel finding no more than a hollow gaze and she felt like she was back in the Manticore's woods, being shot in the chest all over again.

It took every bit of his will to turn around and leave, a will he didn't know he possessed. His instincts shouted against it, demanded him to stay with her and claim his rightful place, but he didn't. He didn't listen the whispers in his mind nor the longing of his body, choosing instead to walk away, because no matter how wrong it felt, the distance was safe.

Max's eyes lingered on his retreating back while hot, caustic tears descended silently through her face. She wanted to scream, to smash something until there was nothing left, just like it'd happened with her heart, but she didn't do any of those things. She just cried, not a single sound coming out of her, wondering if she truly deserved this kind of punishment. Later, she wouldn't be able to pinpoint how exactly she reached her motel room. The next thing she was fully aware of was sagging onto the shower's floor, the freezing water running freely through her body, numbing her muscles. She remained there until her lips turned into an unhealthy shade of purple and there was nothing more in her but raw pain.

She stared the cracked paint of the cieling for hours and the sleep never came. Neither did Alec.

As the first glimmer of sun appeared towards the East, she revved her Ninja's engine, leaving Yuma behind, as well as the man she loved, the same man she'd driven away and didn't trust her anymore.

* * *

><p><em>Don't hate me (too much). One more to go. Stay awesome!<em>


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